Yu-Gi-Oh! The Rise of the Azure Dragon
by Mattster1997
Summary: [Sequel to Yu-Gi-Oh! The Signer of Unification] Mateo Yurigaya and Shiho Bengo are at opposite sides of the war between the Light and the Darkness. After regaining lost memories, Shiho begins a quest to find and unite the Signers of the ancient Azure Dragon, while Mateo, backed by the Signers of the Crimson Dragon, tries to find him before he does something he might regret...
1. Nightmares

Nightmares

Shiho Bengo stepped into the dark alleyway. The city was oddly empty at this time, but he knew why. A lot of people had gathered around the Duel Stadium to watch the duel between Mateo Yurigaya and Anya, unsure as to why a duel of that magnitude would be taking place at such a late hour. Originally, Shiho was watching the duel, standing by his friend. But as soon as that monster, _Frelt, the Ender of Lives_ hit the field, Shiho _knew_.

Of course, there was also the text.

WE NEED TO MEET. GO TO THE BACK ALLEYWAY JUST OFF MAIN. ADACHI HATAZO.

Now there was a name Shiho hadn't heard of in a very long time. Adachi Hatazo was once a good friend of Shiho's, until the day that they had gone their separate ways. After an intense duel, Adachi punched him out. When he came to, he was gone, and he found this damned Mark on his arm. Adachi was back in the city, and Shiho intended to find out what the hell he wanted. Footsteps, from behind him.

"Made it, did you?" Shiho turned to face the man standing in the shadows.

"It wasn't easy. I don't even know how I was allowed to exit the Dark Seal."

"Right, you're friends with that Yurigaya guy who's dueling right now." The man replied. "We need to talk, Bengo."

"Talk. Right." Shiho scoffed. "You're lucky I didn't catch up with you after the last time we met."

"I did more than just wail on your face, man." The man stepped out of the shadows, revealing his face. He had dark green eyes and short, spiky hair. Adachi Hatazo hadn't changed in the slightest. "I needed something from you. Something that, if I'm not mistaken, your friend Yurigaya knows all too well."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"It means that I took something from you. Something important." Adachi replied. "Something precious."

"Memories." Shiho realized. "You stole my memories you son of a bitch!"

"I had a good reason. And I kept them, after all." Adachi held a small device up. "Its time for you to get what you lost back."

"Why did you take them from me in the _first place_?!"

"It was asked of me by the Almighty One." He returned the device to his pocket. "And now he has asked me to return them to you. If you are ready, of course."

"Almighty One? God?"

"God? Think bigger! Think Crimson Dragon proportions!" Realizing that he was getting nowhere, he sighed. "I'll tell you what, Bengo, old buddy. I'll have a duel with you."

"Why would I duel you after what happened last time we dueled?"

"Because…" Adachi walked over to his Duel Runner and grabbed a Duel Disk out of a side compartment, and fastened it to his right arm. "You want answers. Answers that you can only get by defeating me in a duel."

"I do want answers." Shiho agreed. "Well, the last time we dueled, it was inconclusive. Could have gone either way at the point we left off."

"We'll just have to see how this duel will end off, then."

Shiho smirked. He raised his right arm and placed his deck in the deck slot. "Are you sure you're ready to face the full force of the law?"

"Shiho, Shiho, Shiho." Adachi shook his head. "You never change. The brutality of my deck will overwhelm the balance that your dumb Azurians have."

"And you think that I never change? Ha!" Shiho placed his left hand over his deck, ready to draw his five cards. Adachi did the same.

They shouted in unison; "Let's Duel!"

Shiho Bengo: 4000 LP  
Adachi Hatazo: 4000 LP

"I'll take the first move, you pompous lawman!" Adachi shouted as he drew a card from his deck. "I summon _Nightridge Scout_ from my hand in defense mode! Next, I activate my spell card _Strategic Retreat_! With this, I can return all Nightridge monsters on the field back to my hand. And since my _Nightridge Scout_ was removed to the field, I can use his special ability to special summon a level four or lower Nightridge monster from my hand or deck! So come to the field, _Nightridge Inquisitor_!"

"Your deck strategy hasn't changed in the slightest, Adachi!"

"Why would it change? The Tried and True works, and I'm gonna prove it!" He pulled a card from his hand and set it to the field. "I'll end my turn with one facedown card!"

"My turn, then! Draw!" Shiho pulled a card off the top of his deck. "I summon the _Azurian Secretary_ in defense mode! And with a defense stat of 2000, you won't be getting past her any time soon! I'll also set two cards facedown to end my turn!"

"My turn, then. And it looks like your little 'defense' won't help you in the slightest, because I summon _Nightridge Chevalier_!" Adachi snickered as his monster roared to the field. "With this, your defense will fall!"

"Last time I checked, 2000 was higher than your monster's eighteen hundred or seventeen hundred."

"Yes, but your _Secretary_ is no match for this!" Adachi pressed a button on his duel disk and held his arm out. "I'm calling these boys, here, to summon forth a new Nightridge! _That's an Order, Private_! So by tributing two Nightridge monsters, I can call forth a more powerful one from my deck! Meet my _Nightridge Executioner_! And since my first two Nightridge monsters were removed from the field, I can activate their special abilities! _Inquisitor_ 's doesn't help me, but _Chevalier_ 's does! Because by paying eight hundred Life Points, your next Draw Phase gets skipped!"

"What?"

Adachi: 4000 LP-3200 LP

"That's right! Now, _Executioner_ , why not go all Richard Brandon on his ass and execute the _Secretary_?" The _Executioner_ raised his axe and brought it down, severing _Azurian Secretary_ 's head from her shoulders. "Ha ha ha!"

"My turn!" Shiho was about to draw, but he realized that he couldn't and looked at his hand. He sighed. "I summon _Azurian Aide_ to the field in attack mode! And when the _Aide_ is in attack mode, once per turn, I can add a trap card from my deck to my hand, and I'm choosing the _Civil Disobedience_ trap card, which I'm setting to the field! Next, I'm going to activate my face down _Right to an Attorney_ spell card! By changing the battle position of an Azurian monster I control, I can special summon one level four or lower Azurian monster from my hand or graveyard, and I'm choosing the _Azurian Bailiff_!"

"Summon as many monsters as you want, Bengo." Adachi chided. "They are powerless in the eyes of my _Executioner_!"

"We'll see. Because, in case you haven't noticed, my _Azurian Aide_ was switched to defense mode." Shiho smirked as his deck shuffled and then ejected two cards. "This allows me to add up to two spell cards from my deck to my hand, and I'm choosing my second _Right to an Attorney_ and my _Hung Jury_ spell cards! And by activating my _Right to an Attorney_ , I can switch my _Bailiff_ to defense mode in order to summon my _Azurian Secretary_ from the graveyard! And since _Bailiff_ is now in defense mode, I can change battle positions of all other monsters on the field until my next Draw Phase, which means that your _Executioner_ can't be doing any head chopping next turn! And with one card facedown, I'll end my turn!"

"Then it's my turn! Draw! And it looks like this duel is fated in my favor, thanks to the Almighty One!" Adachi laughed as he summoned a monster to the field. "Behold, my level two tuner monster, the _Nightridge Cannoneer_! And I'm gonna tune him to my level six _Nightridge Executioner_! As metal clashes against metal, and brother kills brother, this mighty being descends from the Heavens, ready to reap those who lose the mighty war!

"Synchro Summon!" The _Cannoneer_ flew up and vanished, leaving two glowing green Synchro rings and a cannon, which crashed to the ground. As they encircled the _Executioner_ , it threw its enormous axe into the air. The _Executioner_ vanished, too, leaving its six level stars, which alightned themselves in straight line. That line was pierced by a green light that expanded to the innermost edge of the Synchro rings. "Descend, mighty _Legion Armor Dragon_! Ha ha ha ha!"

 _Legion Armor Dragon is a level eight DARK attribute Dragon-type Synchro monster with 3200 Attack points and 2600 Defense points._

"And since those two Nightridge monsters left the field, that means…"

"That's right! Their abilities activate! First up, my _Cannoneer_ will inflict you with 500 points of damage!" Adachi made a gun with his hand and made a shooting motion as the cannon left behind by the _Cannoneer_ blasted Shiho.

"Urg!"

Shiho: 4000 LP-3500 LP

"And next, the axe from my _Executioner_ will descend and destroy your _Bailiff_!"

"Not quite! Cause I'm gonna activate my _Hung Jury_ quick-play spell card!" Shiho countered, causing all his monsters to begin arguing before they vanished, moments before the axe smashed down where the _Bailiff_ was standing. "This card allows me to send all Azurian monsters I control to the graveyard! Then I can special summon Azurian monsters from my deck who have a combined level equaling that of what was sent to the graveyard!"

"An interesting play, but worthless in the face of my new monster, the _Legion Armor Dragon_!"

"We'll see!" A glowing light began to emanate from Shiho's Duel Disk. "Because I'm special summoning the _Azurians Councillor_ , _Prosecutor_ , _Clerk_ , and _Paralegal_! And I'm summoning all of them in defense mode! All those defense monsters, and they've got some benefits coming my way! Due to the _Clerk_ 's special ability, I can add the spell card _Reversal of Hope_ to my hand! With the _Prosecutor_ 's effect, I can special summon the _Azurian Juror_ in defense mode! As long as he's on the field in Defense mode, you can't target any other monsters for an attack! Bring your worst, Adachi!"

" _Legion Armor Dragon_ , attack the _Azurian Juror_ with Ravaging Hellfire!" _Legion Armor Dragon_ opened its mouth as fire erupted from within, obliterating the _Juror_. "I'll end my turn with a facedown!"

"And by the effect of my _Paralegal_ , on your end phase, if it's in defense mode, I can tribute it and special summon my _Azurian Attorney_ from my deck!" Shiho called as it appeared to the field. "And since it's in defense mode, all monsters I control gain 300 Attack until the end of your next turn!"

"Grrr!"

"It's my turn! And boy, is this duel gonna be a big one!" Shiho closed his eyes for a moment, deep in thought. He opened his eyes. "I'm tuning the level two _Councillor_ to my level two _Clerk_ and level four _Prosecutor_! Law. The defining force of our society. I summon forth a monster who is Law Incarnate!

"All rise, for court is in session!" As with Adachi's monsters, the _Councillor_ transformed into two green Synchro rings, one for each level. As they encircled the other two monsters, they, too, transformed into their level stars. The level stars within the Synchro rings aligned themselves in a straight line and was pierced by a green light which expanded to the innermost edge of the Synchro rings. "Synchro Summon! The Supreme Judge, _Justiciar Dragon_!"

 _Justiciar Dragon is a level eight WATER-attribute Dragon-type Synchro monster with 2600 Attack Points and 2100 Defense points._

"And with its special ability, he can increase his attack by 500 for every WATER-attribute monster in my graveyard! By my count, there's eight! So that means my dragon will gain four thousand attack points!" Shiho looked up to his dragon. "See, it looks like we've both got some new toys since the last time we met!"

 _Justiciar Dragon_ : 2600 ATK + 4000 ATK = 6600 ATK

"Agreed! But by activating my _Moment of Peace_ spell card, I can draw one card and prevent either of us from attacking this turn!"

"Getting desperate?"

"Hell no! But I do have a plan!" Adachi drew a card from his deck, signifying the start of his turn. "My move! I summon _Nightridge Scout_ in defense mode! Next, I'm gonna activate a little Spell card! I like to call this the Battle Façade continuous Trap Card! I target a monster on my field, and as long as that monster is on the field, you can't target another monster for an attack! Speaking of attacking, _Legion Armor Dragon_! Use your Ravaging Hellfire attack to destroy the _Azurian Attorney_!"

As with before, _Legion Armor Dragon_ blasted flames towards the _Attorney_ , but at the last second, it blasted around it and back towards the dragon, forcing it into defense mode. "What the hell?"

"You triggered my _Civil Disobedience_ trap card! By attacking, I can change my monster's battle position, change yours, negate the attack, and end the Battle Phase!" Shiho shouted, confidently. "And since my _Attorney_ is now in Attack Mode, when a card I would control other would be destroyed, I can banish it instead, and summon it back in the end phase!"

"Grrr! I end my turn!"

"Then it's my turn! And I'm commanding my _Justiciar Dragon_ to destroy your _Nightridge Scout_!" Shiho pointed at the monster as his dragon opened its mouth. "Go! Justice Wave!"

His mighty monster opened its mouth and roared, the shockwave causing the _Scout_ to explode. Almost as soon as it did, it reformed. "Huh?"

"Did you forget my _Nightrdige Scout_ 's special ability?" Adachi laughed. "When it leaves the field, it summons another level four or lower _Nightridge_ monster from my hand or deck, and I chose another _Nightridge Scout_!"

 _And with_ this _, there's no way I can lose! Ha ha ha ha!_ Adachi thought to himself as he looked at the _Majestic Dragon_ he held in his hand.


	2. Polar Opposites

Polar Opposites

"It's my turn, then! And I'm gonna start by setting two facedown cards to the field!" Adachi Hatazo exclaimed as the cards appeared to the field face down in a burst of light. "Next up, I'm gonna use my _Legion Armor Dragon_ to attack your _Azurian Attorney_ with Ravaging Hellfire!"

Adachi's mighty _Legion Armor Dragon_ opened its mouth and blasted fire out, which completely enveloped the _Attorney_. It vanished, but not with the typical explosion. Shiho chuckled "I activated my _Attorney_ 's special ability! When it's in Attack Mode, and a card on my field would be destroyed, I can banish it to prevent the destruction and summon it back to the field at the End Phase!"

"As clever as that little trick may be, you still take the battle damage!"

Shiho: 3500 LP-1500 LP

"And now, for the _pièce de rèsistance_ , I normal summon the Tuner monster _Majestic Dragon_!"

" _Majestic Dragon_?!"

"That's right! Now, then. I'll give you a chance to figure out just how screwed you are before I waste you!" Adachi laughed.

"As you end your turn, my _Azurian Attorney_ returns to the field with its own effect!" Shiho sighed. He drew a card from his deck. "My turn!"

 _I've got to deal with his_ Majestic Dragon _before it's too late! But so long as he has a_ Nightridge Scout _, his_ Battle Facade _will prevent me from attacking any other monster he controls! So that leaves only one option, then!_ Shiho looked to his monsters, and then to the _Nightridge_ _Scout_ on Adachi's field. " _Azurian Attorney_! Take _Nightridge Scout_ to the witness stand!"

"Not quite! I'm activating my facedown trap card, _Strategize_! With this card, I can Synchro Summon during your turn!" Adachi laughed while Shiho watched in horror. "So I'm gonna tune my level eight _Legion Armor Dragon_ and level one _Nightridge Scout_ with the level one _Majestic Dragon_! From the fields of battle, this being waits, ready to explode forth in order to take on all those who cannot fathom its true strength!

"Synchro Summon!" _Majestic Dragon_ flew up and spread its wings, causing a wave of pink light to shoot out. _Legion Armor Dragon_ roared, as the two monsters floated into _Majestic Dragon_ as it increased in size. The monsters within faded away, leaving only their collective nine level stars, which aligned themselves in a straight line from head to tail within _Majestic Dragon_. A green light exploded through all the stars and then flashed across the Duel Field. "The might to face all on, the _Majestic Armor Dragon_!"

"It can't be!"

"Oh, but it is! And since my _Nightridge Scout_ was removed from the field, I can special summon another _Nightridge Scout_ from my deck!" Adachi called as his monster reappeared.

Shiho felt a burning sensation in his left arm. He looked, and saw that his blue Mark of the Dragon was glowing brightly. "Ow!"

"Can't take the pain, Shiho?"

"I'm fine!"

"We'll see. Because you've made an attack with your _Attorney_ , a replay occurs. I assume you do not wish to make your attack?"

"Grrr!" Shiho growled. " _Justiciar Dragon_! Attack with Justice Wave!"

" _Majestic Armor Dragon_ 's special ability activates! Once per turn, I can negate the effects of one monster per turn!" Adachi pointed at _Justiciar Dragon_. "So your _Justiciar Dragon_ 's ability to gain 500 Attack for every WATER in your grave is nullified!"

"I activate _Enemy Controller_ from my hand! This will allow me to switch my _Azurian Attorney_ into defense mode!" Shiho countered. "And when my _Attorney_ is in defense mode, all my monsters gain 300 Attack!"

Shiho: 1500 LP-300 LP

 _Justiciar Dragon_ reared to attack, but _Majestic Armor Dragon_ attacked first by flying through _Justiciar_ , causing it to explode completely. The shockwave hit Shiho, and his Mark of the Dragon dug in deeper. "Aaaagh!"

"How do you enjoy the pain, Shiho?" Adachi asked. "Cause you might have saved yourself for now, but it won't last long."

"Fine! I'll set one card facedown and summon _Azurian Enforcer_ in defense mode!" Shiho replied, exasperatedly. "And I'll end my turn, which means that your _Majestic Armor Dragon_ vanishes!"

"I don't think so! See, by activating my _Stay Force_ trap card, I can negate the effect of a monster I control that would remove itself during this turn only!" Adachi countered. "Of course, I have to pay 1000 Life Points, but no matter!"

Adachi: 3200 LP-2200 LP

"Unless you can somehow survive my next turn, you won't be regaining your memories any time soon!"

"We'll see, Adachi! Make your move!"

"I intend to! It's my turn!" Adachi drew a card from his deck, and he smirked. "I'm gonna start by negating the effect of your _Azurian Attorney_! By tributing my _Nightridge Scout_ , I can increase my _Majestic Armor Dragon_ 's attack by the level of the monster who's effect I negated!"

 _Majestic Armor Dragon_ : 4100 ATK + 600 ATK = 4700 ATK

"And since my _Nightridge Scout_ left the field, I can special summon another _Nightridge Inquisitor_ to the field!" Adachi pulled another card from his hand. "Next I activate _This Means War_ , which allows me to special summon all the _Nightridge_ monsters in my hand to the field! So allow me to introduce _Nightridge Calvary_ , _Nightridge Infantry_ , and _Nightridge Grenadier_! Finally, I activate _Strategic Retreat_! This allows me to return all my _Nightridge_ monsters from my field to my hand! And since they're leaving the field, you know what that means!"

"You gain benefits from every single one."

"That's right! When the _Inquisitor_ leaves the field, for the next turn, I can activate trap cards from my hand. Next, my _Grenadier_ and my _Calvary_ add a trap card and a spell card to my hand, respectively, from my Graveyard. So allow me to call back my _Stay Force_ trap card and my _This Means War_ spell card!" Adachi reached for his Graveyard as the two card popped out. He pulled them and added them to his hand. "Finally, my _Infantry_ allows me to add two level four or lower _Nightridge_ monsters from my deck to my hand, so I'm adding my _Bowman_ and another _Calvary_ to my hand!"

"And since you've added _Stay Force_ back to your hand…" Shiho started.

"When my turn ends, I can activate it in order to keep my dragon on the field." Adachi stated, completing Shiho's statement. "That's right! And now, _Majestic Armor Dragon_! Attack _Azurian Attorney_ with Armor Crash!"

 _Majestic Armor Dragon_ flew up, and then descended on the _Attorney_. As soon as it made contact, the _Attorney_ exploded into holographic shards. Shiho smirked as they reformed into the _Attorney_ , who threw its briefcase at Adachi's dragon. It struck it in the head, and it switched to defense mode. "What?"

"I activated my _Unlawful Detainment_ trap card! When a monster I control is destroyed, I can summon that monster back to the field and switch the battle position of the monster that destroyed it!" Shiho replied. "Which means that I get my monster back!"

"Fine! As I end my turn, I activate _Stay Force_ from my hand! 1000 Life Points in order to prevent my dragon from leaving the field!" Adachi looked back at the seven cards in his hand. "And because I have seven cards in my hand, I discard _This Means War_ in order to end my turn!"

Adachi: 2200 LP-1200 LP

"My turn, then!" Shiho looked down at his deck. _If I can't draw a card to counteract Adachi's_ Majestic Armor Dragon _, I'm toast!_

Shiho's Mark began to glow even brighter than before as a surge of power flowed through him. He felt strength flow through him, and that's when he saw it. A glowing blue Mark of the Dragon, on Adachi's right arm, in the same place where Shiho's is on his own arm. "You… You have a Mark like mine?"

"Took you long enough." Adachi sighed. He rolled his sleeve up to reveal the glowing mark of a dragon's head. "Your Mark is a body, like your friend Mateo's. Mine is the head. And there are others. You better believe there are others."

"I don't care about your others! Right now, all I wanna do is defeat you and find out why you stole my memories from me!" On cue, the top card of Shiho's deck began to glow a darkened gold color, like bronze. He drew the card, and saw that in his hand was _Majestic Dragon_. _Wait… This isn't a card in my deck! Then again… Maybe I can summon a monster with it like Adachi's. I have the other cards I need right here!_

"I'm gonna start off by activating my _Testify_ spell card! By swapping the battle position of two _Azurian_ monsters I control, I can special summon a monster from my Graveyard until the end of this turn!" _Enforcer_ and _Attorney_ stood up and into attack mode as a glow of light radiated from Shiho's Graveyard as a familiar roar took to the field. "So I summon back, from my Graveyard, my _justiciar Dragon_! And, as you know, _Justiciar Dragon_ gains 500 Attack for every WATER attribute monster in my Graveyard!"

"Not if my _Majestic Armor Dragon_ has anything to say about it! With his special ability, I can negate your monster's!"

"That's exactly what I was hoping for!"

"Wait, what?"

"Cause I'm gonna summon _Majestic Dragon_!"

"WHAT?!"

"And I'm gonna tune it to my level one _Azurian Enforcer_ and level eight _Justiciar Dragon_!" _Majestic Dragon_ flew up and extended its wings, causing a wave of pink light to shoot away. _Justiciar Dragon_ roared as it, and the _Enforcer_ flew into the quickly enlarging Tuner monster. The nine level stars of the monsters inside flew out and into a straight line from head to tail of the _Majestic Dragon_ , as a green light exploded across the entire Duel Field. "From the deepest call of duty, this true embodiment of justice and law explodes forth! All rise, for court is in session!

"Synchro Summon!" Shiho raises his gavel high and pounds it down on his Duel Disk. "The ultimate being of law, _Majestic Just Dragon_!"

"It can't be! Another _Majestic_ monster!"

"And that's not all! Your monster is in defense mode, so I'm gonna summon my new monster in defense mode!" Shiho shouted as a blue hue coated his new monster. "But that works out, because I can use his special ability to negate your _Majestic Armor Dragon_ 's ability! And since you wasted his effect on my _Justiciar Dragon_ , there isn't a thing you can do about it!"

Energy flew out from _Majestic Armor Dragon_ and into _Majestic Just Dragon_. "And when I negate the effect of a monster on the field, my _Majestic Just Dragon_ can activate an ability based off its battle position, just like an _Azurian_ monster! And when my monster is in defense mode, I can inflict you with direct damage equal to half the attack of the monster who's effect I negated! Since your monster's attack is 4100 since your turn ended, you'll be hit with twenty-fifty points of damage!"

"No!" Adachi looked up to _Majestic Just Dragon_ as all the energy that it absorbed from _Majestic Armor Dragon_ blasted off it and smashed through _Majestic Armor Dragon_ into him.

Adachi: 1200 LP-0 LP

Adachi was blasted back by the shockwave, and the device that held Shiho's stolen memories flew over and landed next to Shiho. He looked up at his _Majestic_ monster as it faded away, the duel being over. He picked the device up, and attached the electrodes to his head. Instantly, his head was flooded with memories. The Battle of the Arc Cradle. The Dark Signers. A being of pure azure appearing before him. "That's it… The Azure Dragon…"

As soon as he remembered it, he felt a dark energy waft through him. A miasma of energy surrounded him as it floated over to Adachi, enveloping him, as well. After a moment, it faded, as a Duel Runner stopped next to Shiho. Mateo Yurigaya stepped out of it. "Shiho, we need to talk."

"Didn't you hear my incoming message?"

"It doesn't matter. This involves the approaching war between the Light and the Darkness." Mateo replied. "Anya told me that if you weren't—"

"Oh, Anya told you? Well, that settles it." Shiho replied, sarcastically. "Since when do you listen to what the woman who tried to kill you, anyways?"

"It's a long story, you just have to trust me on this."

"Trust you? We're on opposite sides of this war!"

"It doesn't have to be like that!"

"Of course it does!"

"I thought you were going to choose your own destiny, Shiho?" Mateo asked. He took another step forward, but Shiho took a step back. "You're stronger than this."

"You're going to talk to me about my destiny? Look at you!" Shiho countered. "You've followed every little action the Light has asked you to do, you caused the death of at least two people and made a third lose his mind! What about your destiny, Mateo?!"

"You're going to accuse me of following a preordained destiny when they attacked me first?" Mateo replied. "If following my destiny in the Light is what makes you turn against me, what do I do, Shiho?"

"You leave me alone. Because the next time we meet, you will have to defeat me. If you don't, then I will defeat you, and according to you, if you lose, the Crimson Dragon will kill you." Shiho smirked. "Tread lightly, Yurigaya."

Shiho turned and started walking to Adachi. He checked his breathing, and he was alive. He shook him, and he opened his eyes. He nodded to Shiho, stood up, and mounted his Duel Runner, which was parked next to Shiho's. Shiho reattached his Duel Disk to his Duel Runner. "Don't do this, Shiho."

He turned back to Mateo. "How did you find me, anyways?"

"There's a chip in your Duel Disk that emits a signal.

"You mean this chip?" Shiho opened the center of his Duel Disk and pulled a flashing chip out. Mateo said nothing and watched as his former friend dropped it on the ground and crushed it with his foot.

"You can fight your destiny, Shiho."

"As can you, Mateo." Shiho mounted his Duel Runner and started it up. "Be prepared, because the next time we meet, you will be destroyed."

Shiho and Adachi blasted away, leaving Mateo standing alone in the alleyway.


	3. Azure

Azure

"I don't understand everything that's going on." Shiho said. Adachi sighed.

"I don't blame you. After months of hanging out with the Signers of the Crimson Dragon, I can understand the trepidation you must be feeling," Adachi replied, "to learn that there is an Azure Dragon."

"But what does this mean for the Signers?"

"We go beyond opposite, Shiho." Adachi replied. "The Dark Signers are mere rivals compared to the Azure Dragon. We go back. Back so far that the bad blood is ingrained in our very spirit."

"So we're destined to destroy one another."

"Not really. Not every battle between the Light and the Dark involves destruction. See, every battle causes a release in positive and negative energy." Adachi explained. "Regardless of who wins, negative energy is released. The more negative energy, the more strength that goes towards the Darkness. But even more negative energy is drawn in when more members are made."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that we carry with us a dark miasma. One that was gifted to you by _Frelt, the Ender of Lives_."

Shiho recalled the dark wave of energy that hit him just as _Frelt_ was summoned during Mateo's duel with Anya. "I've got a what?"

"A wave of dark energy flows from you when you duel, multiplying and branching off in order to flow through Signers you defeat, turning them to our cause."

"So by defeating other Signers, they flock to us…"

"…weakening the Crimson Dragon and magnifying the strength that flows into the Darkness. Correct."

"So what do we have to do?"

"We have to find the other Azure Signers." Adachi answered. "And fast."

"Very well, then." Shiho replied.

Mateo tapped quickly on the keyboard. So far, no results had come up on Shiho's Duel Runner, or any of his monsters. "Damn it!"

"Still no luck?" Luna asked, as she stepped into the room. Mateo sighed.

"Not a trace of Shiho." He picked up a photo of the remains of the chip Shiho had removed from his Duel Disk. "I'm still wondering who placed this tracker in his Duel Disk, and why. But if he maybe had some means of knowing what Shiho was going to do at some point, he placed this tracker in the Duel Disk to keep track of Shiho."

"Do you think it was the man he was with in that alleyway?"

"Yes. Maybe. They had just concluded a duel when I got there. The _Piercing Light_ linked in to the Duel Info, so I know that his name is Adachi Hatazo, using a deck as unique as Shiho's." Mateo replied. "They seemed to have history, so it's possible that it was his design for the chip."

"So what does that mean?"

"He left with Adachi. That means they're working together. I think. I'm hoping that if I can find Shiho, I can turn him away from the path of darkness by telling him about Adachi."

"Let's hope so. If we want any chance of preventing him from doing anything he might regret."

"Indeed. I might have an idea, though. Shiho has a blue Mark of the Dragon, similar to how we have crimson ones." Mateo pondered. "Maybe we can create a trap by telling people where one of these… Blue Signers are."

"But we don't know where they are."

"Exactly."

"Ahhhh. I get it. Well, don't let me stop you." Mateo nodded and began clicking away at the keyboard, typing up a mass email as Luna left the room. In the other room, she sat down next to Yusei and Crow.

"What's the word?" Crow asked.

"He thinks Shiho might be looking for other Signers like him, so he's gonna try and trap him. What did you find, Yusei?"

"His suspicions about Adachi might be correct." Yusei replied as he held up a plastic bag with the remnants of the tracker. "This tracker is about six years old, and it's made of scrap metal."

"Who could have built something like that out of scrap metal?"

"Besides Yusei? Your guess is as good as mine."

"Well, at least we know it wasn't built recently, so it might support Mateo's theory." Luna replied as she took the plastic bag with the chip in it. "Shouldn't we get the Securities in on this? They can help us to find Shiho, can't they?"

"Potentially, yes. Or they could just make Shiho even harder to find." Yusei answered, sadly. "If we want to get Shiho back in good health, we should just leave it up to Mateo."

"I guess."

"Besides, if he's got a plan, we should just leave him to it and see if it works."

The man hit the wall hard. He looked up, groaning, at the mighty _Justiciar Dragon_ that had just reduced his Life Points to zero. From out of the darkness, Shiho appeared. "Looks like you've lost, Reginald."

"You've got quite the power there, Shiho Bengo." Reginald replied. "Heh. Fine. I'll tell you what I know. There's this warehouse down by the Daedalus Bridge. Real old, at least twenty years. Rumor is that there's this loner type that hangs around there with a blue symbol on his arm that glows when he duels."

"You swear?"

"I do."

"Good. Adachi, would you?" From next to the man, Adachi stepped out of the darkness. With one punch, Reginald was out cold. "Let's go find our fellow Signer."

Adachi nodded, and they walked away from Reginald's limp, unconscious body.

Shiho and Adachi stepped into the decrepit warehouse. They walked around, looking for the Signer, and finally see someone sitting in the moonlight, facing away from them. He stands up, and runs up the nearby ramp. Shiho and Adachi run after him, but he stops at the top of the ramp, turns, and throws something in Adachi's direction. Adachi dodges out of the way, but Shiho isn't so lucky, and a claw clamps onto his Duel Disk. "What the hell is this?"

"A duel." A familiar voice spoke from the darkness. Adachi and Shiho both stared at the man as he pulled off a mask and revealed himself to be Mateo. The claw on Shiho's Duel Disk is on a cable, and Mateo attaches the other claw onto his own Duel Disk.

"A trap. I never thought that would be your style, Mateo." Shiho replied.

"We need to talk, Shiho."

"Like I have anything to talk to you about!"

"Just listen to me!" Mateo shouted. "You have to trust me!"

"Trust you? You bugged my Duel Disk!"

"You really think I would do that? Someone else did it first, and I think it was you, Adachi!"

"Hah! You really are naïve if you think you can just accuse me of that!"

"The tracker is about six years old."

"So?"

"That's how long ago it was since we had last seen each other."

"Exactly."

"It proves nothing! You aren't what we came here for, so we'll be leaving."

"Not quite." Mateo replied. He pointed back to the cable. "Recognize these, Shiho?"

"These look like the devices Jet and Depp's bounty hunters used to force us into a Duel, only for Duel Disks." Shiho looked along the cable to Mateo's Duel Disk, which is also connected. "I assume you want to duel me, don't you?"

"Yes."

"Then bring it on. We've got some security planned for if a scenario like this were to happen, exactly like it did."

"Fine."

"Let's Duel!" Mateo and Shiho shouted at the same time.

Mateo: 4000 LP  
Shiho: 4000 LP

"I'm taking the first move!" Mateo drew a card from his deck. "Draw!"

"And I'm activating my spell card, _Arrest Warrant_!" Shiho sneered as his card appeared to the field, much to Mateo's shock. "Surprised? I'd expect you to be, because this quickplay spell card can only be played from my hand on your turn, and it prevents you from playing any cards this turn!"

"What?"

"That's right! Now it's my turn!" Shiho drew a card from his deck. "I summon _Azurian Prosecutor_! _Prosecutor_! Attack Mateo directly!"

"Agh!" Mateo raised up his arms to defend from the _Prosecutor_ 's attack, but a small shockwave made the walkway Mateo was standing on creak.

Mateo: 4000 LP-2100 LP

"I'll set two cards facedown to end my turn!"

"Locking down your opponent's field? That's something I'd never think you'd do!"

"Heh. I've made a few changes to my deck strategy."

"I've noticed. How long until you realize that these drastic changes will destroy your way of life?"

"Shut up and make your move, Yurigaya!" Adachi shouted. Mateo sighed.

"My turn, then! I summon _Alexandrite Dragon_!" Mateo called as his dragon appeared to the field. "My mighty dragon, attack his _Azurian Prosecutor_!"

"I activate my facedown trap card, _Civil Disobedience_! This allows me to change your monster's battle position, thereby negating the attack! Next, I can change the battle position of up to two _Azurian_ monsters I control!" Both Shiho's and Mateo's monsters changed their battle position, a blue hue coating them. "What's wrong? Your monster's attack was what you were hoping on?"

"Grr! I'll set two cards facedown and end my turn!"

"My turn, then!" Shiho drew a card from his deck. "I summon _Azurian Peacekeeper_ in defense mode! And next, I'm gonna activate my facedown trap card, _Search Warrant_! I can change the battle positions of any _Azurian_ monsters I control in order to look at a corresponding amount of set cards on the field! So by switching my _Prosecutor_ and my _Peacekeeper_ to attack mode, I can look at your facedown cards!"

Mateo looked down at his cards as they flipped faceup, revealing them to be the _Castle of Dragon Souls_ and _Starlight Road_. "I see. Well, by discarding one card from my hand, my _Peacekeeper_ can destroy one spell or trap card on the field, and I'm choosing your _Castle of Dragon Souls_! Now that that's out of the way, _Peacekeeper_ , destroy his _Alexandrite Dragon_!"

The _Peacekeeper_ leapt at Mateo's dragon, and as soon as it hit, all the crystals embedded in the dragon cracked, the monster exploding. "And now, my _Azurian Prosecutor_! Attack Mateo directly, again!"

"AGH!" Mateo, once again, was struck by the _Prosecutor_ , and the shockwave caused the walkway to creak again. "What was that?"

Mateo: 2100 LP-200 LP

"I thought you were the unbeatable Mateo Yurigaya?" Shiho goaded. "This is the last thing I was expecting when I thought about the prospect of dueling you! And now I've almost defeated you by my second turn! Ha ha ha ha!"


	4. Yin

Yin

" _Azurian Prosecutor_! Attack Mateo directly, again!"

"AGH!" Mateo, once again, was struck by the Prosecutor, and the shockwave caused the walkway to creak again. "What was that?"

Mateo: 2100 LP-200 LP

"I thought you were the unbeatable Mateo Yurigaya?" Shiho goaded. "This is the last thing I was expecting when I thought about the prospect of dueling you! And now I've almost defeated you by my second turn! Ha ha ha ha!"

"I can't allow you to win, Shiho! It's my turn!" Mateo drew a card from his deck. "I'm gonna activate my _One for One_ spell card! By discarding the _Blue-Eyes White Dragon_ from my hand, I can special summon my _Flamvell Guard_! Next, I summon _Bright Star Dragon_! With his special ability, I can raise my _Guard_ 's level by two, making him level three! And finally, because I normal summoned a monster, I can special summon my level one _Turbo Booster_!"

"Trying to make a comeback, are you?"

"You'd better believe it! I'm tuning my level three _Flamvell Guard_ to my level four _Bright Star Dragon_ and level one _Turbo Booster_!" Mateo called as his _Flamvell Guard_ vanished in a burst of flame, leaving behind three level stars. His other two monsters floated together as the three level stars from the _Guard_ created glowing green Synchro rings around them. Mateo raised his hand into the air as the level stars of the monsters in the rings appeared and aligned themselves in a straight line. "Clustering starlight, flow, and give form to this mighty creature! Illuminate the path of destiny! Synchro Summon!"

In a flash of light, the _Stardust Dragon_ card appeared between Mateo's fingers. "Take flight, _Stardust Dragon_!"

"No way!" Adachi called as radiant light glowed off the mighty dragon. "I thought only Yusei Fudo had that card!"

"Mateo is known as the 'Signer of Unification,'" Shiho explained. "The Crimson Dragon allowed him to use the strength and power that the other Signers have, namely their dragons."

"Really? Well. Looks like we can use this as a golden opportunity."

"To do what?"

"To learn what we're up against!"

"What?"

"Enough prattle! _Stardust Dragon_! Attack the _Azurian Peacekeeper_ with Shooting Sonic attack!"

"Whoa!" Shiho brought his arms up to block the light from striking him as his monster was obliterated. "That was a good move, Mateo. But not good enough."

Shiho: 4000 LP-2700 LP

"Shiho, why don't we stop for a moment and talk about things?"

"No! Believe it or not, but I am an agent of Darkness. We are destined to face each other!"

"You may be an agent of darkness, but that doesn't mean you don't have any essence of Light within you!" Mateo countered. "Yin and yang aren't absolutes, they're the outer shell, with their opposite hidden away within! So what if you believe that working for the Darkness is the only way to go, I know there's still Light within you, just like I know that there's darkness in me, with my fears and doubts!"

"Heh. That's your play? That I'm good on the inside? Sorry to break it to you, Yurigaya, but I'm not quite that soft." Shiho replied. He looked to Adachi and added; "Contrary to popular belief."

"Then I'm gonna have to force you to see it!"

"Fat chance! My turn! Draw!" Shiho pulled the top card from his deck. "I'm gonna use the special ability of my _Prosecutor_! I can target one monster on the field, and that monster cannot attack next turn! Next, I'll change my monster into defense mode! When my _Prosecutor_ is in defense mode, I can special summon a level three or lower monster from my deck, and I'm choosing my _Azurian Juror_ in defense mode!"

"Is that all?"

"It is."

"It's my turn, then!" Mateo activated the card he just drew. "My drawn card is _Pot of Greed_ , allowing me to draw two cards! And now, I can equip my _Stardust Dragon_ with my _Silver Wing_ equip card, which allows it to give my _Stardust Dragon_ the ability to prevent its own destruction in battle up to two times!"

"Just what is that supposed to accomplish?"

"This! Because by sending my _Silver Wing_ to the graveyard, I can prevent the equipped monster from being destroyed by card effects!" Mateo explained as the light of _Silver Wing_ surrounded _Stardust_ with energy. "I activate my spell card, _Dark Hole_! This will destroy all monsters on the field! Luckily, because my _Silver Wing_ 's power was protecting my _Stardust Dragon_ , my dragon is safe on the field! And luckily for you, your _Prosecutor_ 's effect will prevent my dragon from attacking you directly!"

Shiho growled as a black hole appeared in the middle of the field. Shiho's monsters struggled to stay, but they were yanked away by the destructive power of the black hole. The white light of _Silver Wing_ was pulled into the black hole, but _Stardust_ was left behind as the black hole vanished. The mighty dragon roared, the only monster left on the field. Shiho drew a card from his deck. "Draw!

"Ah, yes. The one card in my deck that matches the theme without being an _Azurian_ card. Behold, Mateo Yurigaya, my _Nightmare Steelcage_!" Shiho activated the card, and the walkway around Mateo rumbled a little bit before a sleek black cage erupted from the metal, completely encapsulating both Mateo, and the _Stardust Dragon_. "It's another of my recent additions to my deck, I hope you like it!"

"Grr!"

"Anyways, I'm gonna summon my _Azurian Paralegal_ to my field in defense mode!" Shiho called as his monster appeared to the field. "I'm safe for two turns, Mateo. I've got the cards to prove it. I'll set one other card facedown to end my turn."

"Then it's my turn." Mateo drew a card from his deck. He looked up at Shiho's field. _Shiho must have set a card facedown in order to negate any cards I can activate. His new deck strategy is more offensive than it was before, and I wasn't expecting that. However, as long as I can defend and prevent him from summoning_ Justiciar Dragon _, I should be okay. Then again, both times that he's attacked me, I felt a definite shift in this walkway. Is this the security they were talking about? The floorboards under this platform are weak, and if I fall, it might be the end! This card I drew should keep me safe for one turn, let's hope I can continue to draw defense until I can mount a true counterattack._

"Hello? Are you gonna make a move? The _Steelcage_ stays in effect until the end of your second turn, so waiting isn't gonna help you at all!" Adachi snickered, but Shiho shushed him.

"I'll set one card facedown, and end my turn!"

"And as your turn ends, the effect of my _Azurian Paralegal_ activates! Because he was in defense mode, I can tribute him in order to special summon my _Azurian Attorney_!" Shiho's monster glowed brightly, transforming into a different monster. "Now it's my turn! And I summon my _Azurian Councilor_ in defense mode!"

"My turn!" Mateo looked at his card. _He's almost got everything he needs to summon_ Justiciar Dragon _. I need to do something to keep my monster safe. I have one card in my deck that can do that, but if I can't draw it, there'll be no way I can win!_

"I'll set another card facedown, and end my turn!"

"And on this turn, you sealed your fate!" Shiho smirked as the _Nightmare Steelcage_ started to dissolve. It shattered, freeing Mateo and the _Stardust Dragon_ as Shiho drew a card from his deck. "I summon another _Azurian Attorney_! Next, I tune my level two _Azurian Councillor_ to my two level three _Attorneys_! Law. The defining force of our society. I summon forth a dragon who is Law Incarnate! All rise, for court is in session! Synchro Summon!"

Shiho's two _Attorneys_ floated together as the _Councillor_ 's two level stars created glowing green Synchro rings around them. The six level stars of the monsters inside the rings appeared and aligned themselves in a straight line as a green light pierced them and expanded to the innermost edge of the Synchro Rings. Shiho drew his gavel and pounded it on the monster zone he was planning on summoning his monster. "The Supreme Judge, _Justiciar Dragon_!"

"So you summoned your strongest monster, did you?"

"That's right! And his attack increases by five hundred points for every WATER-attribute monster in my graveyard!" Shiho's monster roared as it powered up. "And by my count, that's seven _Azurians_! So my dragon gains a whopping thirty-five hundred attack points, giving him more than enough attack points to wipe you out! Now, _Justiciar Dragon_! Attack! Justice Wave!"

"Not quite! See, I've got a facedown trap card known as _Waboku_ , which prevents monsters I control from being destroyed, and it also keeps me from taking battle damage!" Mateo's card activated, causing a trio of women in blue cloaks to appear in front of _Stardust Dragon_ , protecting it from the blast. However, the walkway creaked again, and Mateo saw some of the metal bending under the stress. "How are you doing that, Shiho?"

"Doing what?"

"Never mind." Mateo looked down to the bending metal. He noticed that Adachi had seen it, too, but he was smiling. _Shiho doesn't know about this. But this walkway is definitely deteriorating. But Adachi knows what's happening. Maybe this is his doing!_

"Well, with your dragon safe, I suppose all I can do is end my turn."

"Then it's my move. Draw!" Mateo looked at the top card of his deck. _Yes! Everything that I need is here!_ "I summon _Golem Dragon_ in defense mode! With this monster, you can't target any other Dragon-type monsters for an attack! And next, I'm going to add the equip spell card _Dragon Shield_! With this equip card, my equipped monster cannot be destroyed by battle or card effects, and neither player will take damage from battles involving it, so I'm gonna equip it to my _Golem Dragon_ , making him the only monster you can target, and indestructible!"

"What?" Shiho watched as the back of the _Golem Dragon_ transformed into a shield comprised of dragon scales. The _Golem Dragon_ retreated into it like a shell, and blocked _Stardust Dragon_ from being attacked by _Justiciar Dragon_.

 _Yes!_ Mateo thought to himself. _With this, I can begin to make a comeback!_


	5. Yang

Yang

 _So long as I control my_ Golem Dragon _equipped with the_ Dragon Shield _, Shiho can't destroy my_ Stardust Dragon _!_ Mateo thought to himself. _With this, I can protect my life points, provided, of course he can't summon a monster to attack directly! This close to zero, pulling off this victory will be a miracle! But it's something I have to do, because if I don't, then I'm a goner!_

"You've done well to protect your field from my attacks, Mateo." Shiho stated. "Even if I could switch _Golem Dragon_ into attack mode, your _Dragon Shield_ will defend your Life Points, as well as your monsters. And if I somehow used a card to destroy the _Dragon Shield_ , you'd just use your _Stardust Dragon_ 's effect to prevent its destruction. But while you may think you're safe, you're mistaken. See, I have a plan around this new obstacle, and then you won't stand in my way any longer!"

"Thank you."

"But it matters not! I happen to have a monster in my deck that can attack directly! My _Azurian Councillor_!"

"You used that in order to summon _Justiciar Dragon_ , unless you've forgotten."

"Of course not. But like any good duelist, I have two! And it's my turn!" Shiho drew a card from his deck. "So far, fate seems to have favored you. But that will soon change! I'll end my turn."

"My turn, then." Mateo drew a card, and looked at it. _This_ Defense Draw _will come in handy. Right now I'm at a hand disadvantage. With no cards in my hand, and his hand nearly full, I can't come up with effective and elaborate strategies! But there is one card that will allow me to change this around!_ "I'll set one card facedown and end my turn!"

"My turn, then! And fate favors me, now! I summon the _Azurian Councillor_ in attack mode!"

"Huh?"

" _Councillor_! Attack Mateo Yurigaya directly! Reduce his attack points to zero!"

"Not quite! See, I've got a _Defense Draw_ ready and waiting!"

" _Defense Draw_?"

"That's right! When I take battle damage, I can use my _Defense Draw_ trap card to reduce the damage to zero and draw one card from my deck!" Mateo called as he drew his card. _Yes! Fate is still on my side!_ "However, if you like to see me get hit, I still will!"

Mateo looked over to the _Councillor_ as it charged up and struck him, a tiny shockwave causing the walkway to creak once again. "Stop for a second."

"What now?"

"Every time I get hit by your monsters, it causes a shockwave that causes this walkway to deteriorate." Mateo pointed to the damaged sections of the walkway. Shiho looked, and realized that this duel was causing real damage to the surroundings. "So long as this duel continues, real damage will occur to this place."

"You're mistaken, Mateo." Adachi replied. "See, only Shiho causes real damage."

"What?" Shiho turned and looked at him, wide-eyed.

"Your dark miasma." Adachi replied, to both Mateo and Shiho's confusion. "Not only does it corrupt the Signers that lose, it also seems to deal real damage in any duel. And it's been getting stronger."

"I can see that." Mateo replied, and Adachi scoffed. "But we're talking… Wait, did you say 'corrupt the Signers that lose?'"

"Now do you see why we will win? With every victory, we'll draw in new followers, in the process charging up our Signers while weakening yours!" Adachi explained.

"What being do you serve? I thought the mortal enemies of the Crimson Dragon and its Signers were the Earthbound Immortals and their Dark Signers!"

"We are the Azure Signers!" Adachi and Shiho both pulled up their sleeves to reveal their Signers marks, and they started to glow a radiant blue. "And we serve the Azure Dragon!"

"The _what_?!"

"That's right! Now, Shiho, finish him off!"

"I…" Shiho looked back down at the damaged walkway. "…I end my turn."

"My turn, then! And I play my _Chest of Greed_! With this, I can draw until I have six cards in my hand!" Mateo drew five cards off the top of his deck. "I activate _Monster Reborn_ in order to summon _Turbo Booster_ back from my Graveyard! Next, I activate _Creature Swap_! We both select one monster and give it to our opponent, and I'll be giving you my _Turbo Booster_!"

"No way!" Shiho looked at the card, and down to his own monsters. _Either of my monsters are incredibly valuable! If I give him my_ Justiciar Dragon _, he'll lay waste to my Life Points! And if I give him my_ Azurian Councillor _, he's got the stage set for a powerful Synchro summon! But wait. Maybe it's a bluff. Maybe he doesn't have everything needed for a Synchro Summon, but if he gets my direct attacking monster, he can win! If I give him my dragon, then he'll just destroy my monsters and win anyways!_ "Ah! There's no way out!"

"That's right! Choose, Shiho. For either way, this turn will result in your defeat!"

"Take my dragon, then, Mateo! If you think you've got the strength to wield it!" Shiho called as a blast of white light caused both _Turbo Booster_ and _Justiciar Dragon_ to swap positions. As soon as _Justiciar Dragon_ was on Mateo's field, he felt a dark force pressing on his head. The dragon glared at him, as well as _Stardust Dragon_. "Because you have no WATER-attribute monsters in your graveyard, _Justiciar Dragon_ 's attack will drop back down to 2600!"

"That's fine. _Stardust Dragon_! Use Shooting Sonic to destroy the _Azurian Councillor_!" _Stardust Dragon_ blasted energy at the _Councillor_ , but the _Justiciar Dragon_ soared into the path and intercepted the blast. It opened its mouth and blasted energy back at _Stardust Dragon_ , and _Stardust_ exploded. "Aaaagh!"

Mateo: 200 LP-100 LP

Mateo, Shiho, and Adachi all watched in surprise as _Justiciar Dragon_ defended Shiho, however Mateo's surprise was short-lived as the walkway collapsed under the stress of _Justiciar Dragon_ 's counterattack. Mateo started to fall, as the walkway crashed through the rotten wood below. "Whoooaaaaaa!"

"Mateo!" Shiho grabbed onto the cable with his free hand just as the cable reached the handrails of the now destroyed walkway. Mateo's fall was stopped, but with a sickening crack, he felt a sharp pain shoot through his left arm. "Are you alright!"

"Yeah, but I think my arm's dislocated!"

"What are you doing, talking to him? Finish him off!"

"Shut up, Adachi!" Shiho shouted.

"Shiho! Pull me up!" Mateo called, but Shiho sighed. He unclipped his Duel Disk from his arm carefully, and wrapped the cable around the railing. Mateo felt the extra slack as he dropped slightly, causing more pain to shoot through his arm. "Agh! Shiho!"

"I'm sorry, Mateo, but I can't do that!"

"Shiho?"

"Don't worry. I have no intention of letting you fall to your death today." Shiho spotted some old bolt cutters, and he ensured that the knot he tied was strong before he picked them up and cut the additional cable attached to the claw on his Duel Disk, and the claw deactivated and fell off. "We'll find out who was the winner some other time."

"Why not now? All you have to do is attack with your _Councillor_! What are you waiting for, you coward?"

Shiho punched Adachi and then held him against the wall with his arm. "I call the shots. Not you. Now let's go."

Adachi nodded grimly, and they started to walk away, but Mateo called from the hole. "Shiho! Don't leave me like this!"

"I won't. I'll call Yusei and tell him where you are. Don't try to find me again. Goodbye, Mateo Yurigaya. We most certainly won't see each other again for quite some time." Shiho and Adachi walked towards the door, Mateo still hanging from the walkway.

"Shiho!" Mateo shouted. "This won't be the end of this, Shiho! I'll find you again, and I'll make you see! I'll show you that you still have light within you!"

"Good luck with that." With that, Shiho and Adachi were gone, and Mateo was alone with a dislocated shoulder.

 _I started to prove it to you, Shiho!_ Mateo thought to himself, trying to stay conscious despite the pain. _If you were as dark as you think you are, you would've just let me fall to my death, or defeated me! We will see each other again soon, and I will show you the light, by showing you my Signer Dragon's power!_


	6. Victories

_Previously…_

 _During Mateo Yurigaya's Duel with Anya, Shiho Bengo was hit with a wave of energy from the Knight of Darkness,_ Frelt, the Ender of Lives _. This wave of energy alerted Shiho to the fact that Mateo and Shiho were to fight on opposite sides in the battle of Light and Darkness. At this very moment, Adachi Hatazo reached out to him, drawing him away from watching Mateo's duel. After finding Adachi, they have a Duel in order to find out if Shiho is worthy of regaining his memories that Adachi had stolen from him. Shiho learned about the Azure Dragon and its true rivalry with the Crimson Dragon, causing Adachi and Shiho to embark on a mission to find the other Azure Signers and pull them into their fold. At the same time, Mateo seeks to find Shiho to talk him down, and was able to trap him in a duel, where he learned that Shiho has the power to corrupt Signers to the Azure Dragon's will and can inflict real damage. Before Mateo can attack to win, Shiho's_ Justiciar Dragon _retaliated, causing the walkway Mateo was standing on to collapse, Shiho barely catching him. However, Shiho left him to hang by the cable fastened to his Duel Disk, stating that they will learn who the winner of the Duel was later. He would hang by the cable fastened to his Duel Disk for four hours before the other Signers can rescue him. What follows is five days later…_

Victories

"Ah!" Mateo grunted as his arm bumped against the door.

"Be careful, Mateo!" Luna scolded. "The doctor was reluctant to let you leave so soon, considering you spent four hours hanging by that arm."

"I need to find Shiho. We can't allow him to complete his plans."

"We know. Jack and Akiza are looking around the warehouse with Trudge for clues." Yusei replied. "Leo and Crow decided to pay your old friends Jet and Depp in the Facility a visit and find out if they can tell us how they found Shiho the first time."

"Good." Mateo groaned as he sat on the couch. "We've got a big problem. Can you get everyone on the phone for me?"

"Yeah, I'm on it."

"You should have finished him while you had the chance!" Adachi shouted. "Can you imagine what strength the Darkness would've had if we'd pulled Mateo Yurigaya, the Signer of Unification into our fold?"

"It wasn't you choice to make, Adachi. It was mine. And wouldn't you rather we draw Mateo in when he's at his strongest? I'd rather crush him when he can truly fight back." Shiho replied angrily. "Remember, I'm the 'Signer of Unification' for us. I have the dark miasma, and I originally had the power to corrupt Signers to our cause, including you. You only have this ability because of me!"

"Be that as it may!" Adachi sighed. "The other Signers will be looking for us now. We'll have to be careful. If your dragon hadn't have retaliated at Mateo like that, you would have been defeated. And we can't afford to let that happen. We must gather the Others."

"Then let's go. There's a lot of scum in the un-renovated areas of the Satellite district. Maybe we'll find something there."

"Sounds like a plan. Let's go."

"Okay, I've got Jack and Akiza." Yusei put his phone on speaker and set it on the coffee table.

"And I've got Leo and Crow." Luna did the same.

"Thanks, guys. Okay. Well, if it wasn't already obvious, you guys have to be careful." Mateo stated. "There's more to Shiho than we thought."

" _What do you mean?_ " Akiza asked through Yusei's phone.

"Shiho's got this power. Adachi called it a 'dark miasma.' It gives Shiho the power to do real damage while dueling, and…" Mateo gulped, "…it also gives him the power to corrupt Signers."

"Corrupt Signers?" Luna asked, and looked to Yusei. Yusei watched Mateo sternly.

"Don't worry, it requires someone to lose."

" _When we found you, you certainly didn't look like you won._ " Jack replied. " _How do we know you aren't corrupted?_ "

"If I had lost, I would be dead."

" _What?_ "

"I didn't tell you? Part of the deal the Crimson Dragon made with me was that I have to be strong, or it has no use for me, and it will kill me."

"There's no way that's true!" Luna put her hand over her mouth. "The Crimson Dragon would never kill someone, would it, Yusei?"

"I don't know. I don't know the conditions behind Mateo's mark of the Dragon." Yusei replied. "I don't believe it would kill someone just because their Life Points reached zero, though."

"Believe me, that's what will happen if I lose. So I'm safe from corruption, because I'll just die instead."

" _Well, that's morbid._ "

" _Leo!_ " Luna shouted.

"There's more."

" _More?_ " Everyone asked.

"They serve something."

" _Yeah, the Dark Signers. We've fought them before, and we won._ "

"No, Jack. Not the Dark Signers, luckily. But this might be even worse."

" _Worse? How could it be worse?_ " Leo asked.

"An Azure Dragon."

" _You… You're joking, right?_ " Crow asked, however Mateo said nothing. " _I'll take your silence as a no._ "

"It's an entity with power that rivals the Crimson Dragon. The way Adachi talked about it, it made it seem like we've got an even deeper rivalry than the Earthbound Immortals." Mateo explained. "When a Signer is corrupted, I can only assume that it weakens the Crimson Dragon and powers up the Azure Dragon, and, of course, by extension, the Darkness."

" _So what do you want us to do, then?_ " Akiza asked.

"If you see Shiho or Adachi, or, hell, you encounter one of those Azure Signers, don't duel them unless you know for a fact that you can win." Mateo answered. "Otherwise, you might be corrupted, and it will just give Shiho and the Azure Dragon even more power."

" _Will do, Mateo._ " Jack replied. " _And hey, that corrupted thing…_ "

"Don't worry about it." Mateo replied.

" _Don't go out and try to do anything stupid. You're on the mend._ " Akiza demanded.

"I'll keep an eye on him, Akiza." Luna answered. "Don't worry."

"Yusei, if you want, you can go look, too. We'll need all the help we can get."

"You're probably right. Get some rest. I'll check up on your two later." Yusei put on his coat and headed for the door. "And keep out of trouble."

"Will do." Mateo replied. Yusei nodded, and left.

"I hear youse looking for some kind of 'Azure Signer!'" Darren shouted as he walked over to the waiting Shiho and Adachi.

"That's right, Darren. Where are they?" Adachi replied. Darren chuckled.

"Youse know that don't come cheap, don'tcha?"

"Name your price." Shiho blurted.

"Heh. Well, it ain't cheap."

"Hold on a moment." Adachi pulled Shiho aside. "What are you doing?"

"He wants payment."

"We don't need to give him payment." Adachi replied. "This isn't a ransom situation or deal we have to make. These are our fellow Signers."

"That doesn't mean we have to transform into people like him in the process."

"You're already on the fast track to that." Adachi stated, bluntly. "You're less of a lawman than you were three months ago."

"I suppose…"

"You suppose? Oh, I'm sorry, is this all too much? I thought you had the dark miasma?"

"Shut up!" Shiho shouted. He turned to Darren. "Give us the information, or else!"

"Or else what?" Darren snickered as three other men stepped out of the shadows of the alleyway. They all had Duel Disks, just like Darren, as well as claws attached to cables, just like Mateo used to challenge Shiho to a duel.

"What do we have here, a little gang?" Adachi laughed. "I see you've got some disk breakers, too. Don't you think that four against one is a little unfair?"

"You can join, too, princess." One of Darren's boys growled.

"Oh, I meant that you'd need more guys. But if you insist." Adachi and Shiho held up their Duel Disks as the claws attached to their Duel Disks. The gang snickered.

"Let's duel!" All six duelists shouted.

Shiho: 4000 LP  
Adachi: 4000 LP  
Darren: 4000 LP  
Boy 1: 4000 LP  
Boy 2: 4000 LP  
Boy 3: 4000 LP

"You two can make the first move!"

"Then I draw!" Shiho shouted as he drew a card from his deck. "I summon the _Azurian Bailiff_ in attack mode! I'll place two cards facedown and end my turn!"

"Next, it my turn!" Adachi drew a card. "I summon _Nightridge Chevalier_! And with this facedown card, my turn will be over!"

"Now, it's our turn! I summon _Amplification Cannoneer_ in Defense mode! On the turn that this card is summoned, a card effect that deals effect damage will deal twice the damage!" Darren called as he pulled another card from his hand. "So I activate _Ookazi_ , and with my _Amplicifation Cannoneer_ , the eight hundred damage is amplified to sixteen hundred, directed straight at you, Hatazo!"

"Agh!"

Adachi: 4000 LP-2400 LP

"Next, it's my turn! And I summon an _Amplification Cannoneer_ , and play the _Ookazi_ spell card!" One of Darren's boys shouted. "Directed at Hatazo!"

"Aagh!"

Adachi: 2400 LP-800 LP

"Next up, it's my turn!" The second of Darren's boys drew a card from his deck. "And I summon an _Amplification Cannoneer_! By adding the _Ookazi_ spell card, I can hit Bengo for sixteen hundred damage!"

"Whoa!"

Shiho: 4000 LP-2400 LP

"I draw, and summon an _Amplification Cannoneer_! Next, I activate _Ookazi_ and hit Shiho for double its usual damage!"

"Ack!"

Shiho: 2400 LP-800 LP

"My turn, again!" Shiho drew a card. "I summon _Azurian Clerk_ , and then I activate _Right to an Attorney_! By switching my _Bailiff_ into defense mode, I can special summon _Azurian Paralegal_ from my deck! Once my _Bailiff_ is in defense mode, I can change the battle positions of all monsters on the field, switching all of your _Amplification Cannoneers_ into attack mode!"

"What?"

"No way!"

"My turn! I activate _Additional Infantry_! This spell card allows me to make an additional normal summon this turn as long as the monster is a Nightridge monster!" Adachi called as the card activated. So I'll be summoning my _Majestic Dragon_ , and then I'll tribute my _Nightridge Chevalier_ for my _Nightridge Executioner_! Luckily for you, my _Chavelier_ 's effect would require me to pay the last of my Life Points, so I won't be using that effect. But I can use Shiho's level two _Azurian Clerk_ to tune my level six _Nightridge Executioner_! As metal clashes against metal, and brother kills brother, this mighty being descends from the mighty heavens, ready to reap those who lose the mighty war! Synchro Summon!"

The _Azurian Clerk_ flew up and vanished, leaving behind its two level stars. The _Executioner_ threw its humungous axe into the air and jumped up in the opposite direction, as the _Clerk_ created glowing Synchro rings around the _Executioner_. The six level stars of the monster within floated out, causing the _Executioner_ to vanish. The stars aligned themselves in a straight line as a green light pierced them, expanding to the innermost edge of the Synchro Rings. "Descend, mighty _Legion Armor Dragon_!"

Adachi's Signer dragon roared as it exploded to the field, causing Darren and his boys to take a step backwards. Next, the axe from the _Executioner_ smashed down on one of the _Amplification Cannoneers_ , causing it to explode. "What the… What was that?"

"When my _Nightridge Executioner_ leaves the field, one monster you control gets destroyed."

"I thought you couldn't use your monster's effects because you didn't have enough Life Points yet!"

"You fool! That was only my _Nightridge Chevalier_! But I have another plan for this turn!" Adachi pointed to his _Majestic Dragon_. "I tune my level one _Majestic Dragon_ to my level eight _Legion Armor Dragon_ and Shiho's level one _Azurian Paralegal_! From the fields of battle, this being waits, ready to explode forth in order to take on all those who cannot fathom its true strength!

"Synchro Summon!" _Majestic Dragon_ flew into the air and span once on its axis before sending off a pick wave of light as it extended its wings and grew in size. _Legion Armor Dragon_ roared as it, and Shiho's _Paralegal_ flew up and passed into _Majestic Dragon_. The nine level stars of the monsters inside launched out and aligned themselves in a straight line from head to tail within the dragon, before a green light pierced through the level stars and the dragon, before enveloping the field. "The might to face all on, the _Majestic Armor Dragon_!"

" _Majestic Armor… Dragon_?" Darren asked, fear in his voice.

"That's right! And I'm adding the trap card, _Overwhelming Determination_! When I target a monster with this card, if he attacks, and the opponent controls a monster in attack mode, I can attack again!" Adachi's monster roared again as it powered up from the _Overwhelming Determination_. "Darren. One of your boys control no monsters. Which means my attack target will be him! _Majestic Armor Dragon_! Attack with Armor Crash!"

"What? Whoaaaaaaaaaa!"

Boy 3: 4000 LP-0 LP

"And since your boys all have a monster in attack mode, I can target one of them for another attack!" Adachi pointed at one of Darren's boys. " _Majestic Armor Dragon_! Use Armor Crash to destroy his _Amplification Cannoneer_!"

 _Majestic Armor Dragon_ roared, flew up, and then descended down on one of the _Amplification Cannoneers_ , obliterating it. "Your monster's one hundred attack is crushed by monster's forty- _one_ hundred attack!"

"Aaaaaagh!"

Boy 2: 4000 LP-0 LP

"Joke's on you! Your monster can't attack any of my other boys' monsters, meaning you can't defeat us before we burn you!"

"That's where you're wrong!" Shiho countered. "I activate my facedown trap card, _Search and Seizure_! By changing my _Bailiff_ 's battle position, I can select one normal Trap card in the graveyard and use its effect as my own! And I'm choosing Adachi's _Overwhelming Determination_! Because the _Majestic Armor Dragon_ attacked and there's still a monster on your side of the field in attack mode, our monster can attack again!"

"Now go, _Majestic Armor Dragon_! Armor Crash attack!"

"Noooooooo!" One of Darren's boys screamed as his Life Points blasted to zero, causing his Duel Disk to explode like Darren's first two boys.

Boy 1: 4000 LP-0 LP

"And finally, I activate my other facedown trap card, _Search and Seizure_!" Shiho's _Bailiff_ changed its battle position again as his trap card snatched _Overwhelming Determination_ from Adachi's graveyard again.

"Heh. Joke's on youse guys!" Darren shouted. "Because your _Bailiff_ changed battle positions, all monsters on the field change their Battle Positions!"

"Only on my turn, Darren." Shiho replied with a smirk. "Now our _Majestic Armor Dragon_ can attack a fourth time!"

"That's right! Now go, _Majestic Armor Dragon_! Armor Crash attack!" _Majestic Armor Dragon_ blasted through the _Amplification Cannoneer_ , and smashed directly into Darren, blasting him back and into the wall.

"Aaagh!"

Darren: 4000 LP-0 LP

As the holograms faded away, Darren's Duel Disk exploded, cards flying in all directions. Shiho and Adachi ripped the claws off simultaneously, and walked over to where Darren was lying on the ground, traumatized by the power of Shiho and Adachi. "Where's the Azure Signer, Darren?"

"Youse… Youse guys are crazy!"

"Where's the Azure Signer, Darren!" Adachi picked him up and slammed him against the wall, holding his collar with one hand and his other hand, clenched in a fist, prepared to punch.

"He doesn't live in the city. He runs a farm between here and Satisfaction Town." Darren blurted.

"If he lives so far out of the city, how do you know him?"

"He came to the city not that long ago, looking for a bit of help with some stumps on his property." Darren answered. "I gave him a hand. It was where I met my boys, here. "

"Show us."

"He won't take kindly to people showing up unexpected."

"Just show us. Now!" Shiho screamed. Darren held up his hands defenseively, and leaned over to pick up his cards.

"Let's go, then."


	7. Into the Fold

Into the Fold

Darren leaned against a tree as Shiho and Adachi looked down the hill. At the base of the hill, there was a farm, the sound of horses running along the path in the distance. Shiho and Adachi looked at each other, and then back to the farm.

"Well, that's it. If youse gonna find the man with the blue mark on his arm, it's down there." Darren said. "Rōdōsha Farm."

"Who's the owner?"

"The man youse seekin'. Sasuke Rōdōsha." Darren looked down at the farm. "He's a hard worker. I highly doubt you'd be able to even convince him to have a duel, much less to have him join youse."

"Leave that to us." Shiho replied. Darren scoffed, and stood up.

"Well, I've showed youse where he is. I'm going home. Good luck. You're gonna need it." Darren turned and walked away, back towards the city. Adachi started walking down the hill, towards the farm, but noticed that Shiho hadn't moved. He stopped and turned to face him.

"You coming?"

"I have a bad feeling about this."

"Oh, bully for you. I want to get our group rallied, and I'll be damned if you're gonna get in my way because you have a bad feeling!"

"Fine. Let's go." Shiho walked over to Adachi, and they walked down the hill. "I should have brought my Duel Runner."

"Oh, get over it." In no time, Adachi and Shiho reached the entrance of the farm. Over by one of the pastures, was a man grooming a horse. As they approached, they heard him sigh, and turned to face them.

"Shiho Bengo and Adachi Hatazo."

"How do you know our names?"

"Oh, please. I may be a farmer, but I'm not dead."

"Then you know why we're here."

"No. But, here you are.

"We need you."

"Oh. Well, yes, I did know that." Sasuke rolled up his sleeve, revealing a blue mark of the dragon on his left arm. "You want me to join you in your crusade to defeat the Crimson Dragon. Yes, your friend the Azure Dragon gave me the run-down, and quite frankly, I'm not all that interested."

"You'll change your mind, Rōdōsha. I assure you." Adachi said.

"Will I? Let me tell you something, Adachi Hatazo. I do not kowtow to other people's will that easily. I use my mind to do things." Sasuke replied. "I don't live and work on this farm because I want to avoid being controlled by other people, I live out here because my mind is too strong be controlled, and it's easier to isolate myself, instead. My name, my occupation, everything about me is a distant memory."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"I used to be an astronaut, after all." Sasuke replied. "I was once Sasuke Todou."

"The Astronaut?" Shiho asked, shocked.

"That's right. But times change."

"What happened? The last we heard of Sasuke Todou, the rocket was obliterated!"

"The Azure Dragon happened. He arrived to save me, and brought me to a distant planet."

"Uh huh. Right. Another planet." Adachi scoffed.

"It's true! This other planet was almost completely deserted, save for one building, which stretched high into the sky. The Azure Dragon flew up to the top of the building, and I knew what it wanted me to do." Sasuke explained. "Up the tower I climbed, until I reached the top of the tower. That was when I entered the Fold of Existence. Truly."

"What did you see?"

"A deck."

"A what, now?"

"A deck of Duel Monsters cards." Sasuke explained. He pulled out a deck of cards from his satchel. "This deck, to be exact."

"Duel Monsters cards?" Sasuke asked, eight years ago. He drew the top card and looked at it. "What are these doing here? Hey… Wait… This effect… The background…"

Sasuke unzipped one of his pockets on his space suit and pulled out the card from in it. "These cards look like they could go together! But my father gave me this… How could these even be here!"

The tower trembled as the Azure Dragon roared. Somehow, Sasuke new exactly what it said. " _Take up the Deck. It is your birthright. Pass the test, and become one of my soldiers in the fight against the Crimson Dragon!_ "

At that moment, a blast of blue light exploded from Sasuke's arm as his mark of the dragon took form. "Ah! What the hell?"

" _Who dares to disrupt the Tower of Existence, access to the Fold, itself?_ " A voice boomed.

"What the hell is going on?" Sasuke turned as a being appeared in a burst of light. It stared deeply at Sasuke as two pedestals appeared between them. "This looks like… A Duel Field?"

" _No one has been to this Tower in over a thousand years. Perhaps you are the being the legends speak of._ " The entity boomed. " _Take up the Deck, Sasuke Todou, and prepare to Duel!_ "

"Duel..?" Sasuke turned, and looked back at the deck. He hesitantly extended his hand, and picked the cards up. As soon as the deck had left the pedestal, it descended into the floor. He looked from where the pedestal used to be, back to the cards in his hand. He looked through them. "Aeronauts…

"This should work well with…" Sasuke added his card from his father to the new deck, and flipped through them. After a moment, he placed the deck down on the Deck Zone. "Very well, then. Let's Duel!"

Sasuke: 4000 LP  
Entity: 4000 LP

" _Make the first move._ "

"Don't mind if I do!" Sasuke drew a card from the deck. "These cards are strange. I've never seen cards like these. But I guess I'll have to make due! Hmm… I'll activate the field spell _Aeronaut Huston_! Whenever I activate the effect of an _Aeronaut_ in order to reduce its own Attack or Defense, I can place counters on this card instead! Next, I summon _Aeronaut Engineer_! And with its own effect, I can reduce its Attack by 500 in order to special summon a Level 3 or lower _Aeronaut_ card! And due to my _Huston_ , I can place five Aeronautical Counters on my Field Spell, instead!"

" _Very well._ " The entity replied as the duel field transformed into a room filled with desks. One of the monitors in the room booted up, and big five appeared on the screen.

"And for the monster I'll be special summoning, I choose my _Aeronautical Sensor Array_! And now, I'll be tuning my level four _Aeronaut Engineer_ with my level three _Aeronautical Sensor Array_!" The _Aeronautical Sensor Array_ used its thrusters to float up, and it vanished, leaving behind its three level stars. The three level stars created glowing green Synchro Rings around the _Engineer_ , and it, too, vanished, leaving behind its four level stars. The stars aligned themselves in a straight line, as a green light pierced through them and expanded to the innermost edge of the Synchro rings. "The rapidly evolving technology of the future pulls forth a mighty machine that knows no resolve! This, the one who defends its comrades! Synchro Summon! Appear, _Aeronaut Zephyr_!"

" _Very good. You have already mastered one aspect of the_ Aeronauts _. But can you master the rest?_ " The Entity asked. " _It's my turn. I draw! And I'm going to play_ Aeronaut Infantry _! I'll add the Spell card_ Extra Fuel _, which will allow me to increase the attack of my monster by one thousand! This gives my_ Infantry _enough attack to destroy your_ Zephyr _!_ "

"That may be true, but one of _Zephyr_ 's effect activates when you increase a monster's attack or defense, and it inflicts damage to you equal to half of the amount you increased!"

" _Very good. But my_ Infantry _still contains enough attack points to destroy your monster_!" The Entity pointed at Sasuke's monster, and his _Infantry_ aimed his gun at the _Zephyr_. It fired, just as the _Zephyr_ blasted at the Entity, however the _Zephyr_ 's blast hit before it was destroyed.

Sasuke: 4000 LP-3900 LP  
Entity: 4000 LP-3500 LP

" _It seems you've got a bit to learn before you can call yourself the master of that deck._ "

"We'll see. After all, I have one trick up my sleeve. A single card, without a doubt, which differs between our two decks." Sasuke replied. "And if I summon that monster, then I'll most certainly win!"

" _If you are what that dragon says you are, then your destiny revolves around that one card. You will be able to do anything. Be anything._ "

"Then let's see what I can do, then!" Sasuke drew a card from his deck. "I summon _Aeronaut Gardna_! And I activate its special ability, reducing its defense by five hundred in order to add the spell card _Liftoff!_ to my hand! And when an _Aeronaut_ monster I control reduced its attack or defense by the effect of an _Aeronaut_ card, I can special summon the level eight Tuner monster _Aeronautical Spaceshuttle_ as a level 4 with half its attack! So I'm gonna tune my now level four _Spaceshuttle_ to my level 4 _Aeronaut Gardna_!

"Shock and awe, to all who witness this mighty being! This, the one who knows no limits!" The _Spaceshuttle_ flew up and vanished, leaving behind its four level stars. The four level stars floated down and created glowing green Synchro rings as the four level stars of the _Gardna_ within aligned themselves in a straight line, being pierced by a green light that expanded to the innermost edge of the Synchro rings. "Synchro Summon! Electrocute all who stand before you, _Spark-Nova Dragon_!"

 _Spark-Nova Dragon is a level 8 LIGHT-attribute Dragon-type Synchro monster with 2550 attack points and 3000 defense points._

A mighty dragon exploded to the field, and growled at the Entity's _Infantry_. " _Spark-Nova Dragon_! Attack _Aeronaut Infantry_ with Static Blazar Blast!"

 _Spark-Nova Dragon_ opened its mouth and blasted plasma at the _Infantry_. " _When the_ Aeronaut Infantry _would be destroyed, I can negate its destruction by reducing its attack by five hundred!_ "

"Not quite! See, my _Spark-Nova Dragon_ has a special ability that I can activate when an effect activates that changes the attack or defense points of any card on the field!" Sasuke countered as light from the _Infantry_ flew off and into his _Spark-Nova Dragon_. "It negates the change in points, then I can either add it to my dragon, or inflict it as damage to your Life Points! So my dragon will use the points you were going to use to save your monster to increase my monster's attack instead, which means you'll take even more damage!"

 _Spark-Nova Dragon_ : 2550 ATK + 500 ATK = 3050 ATK  
Entity: 3500 LP-2850 LP

" _My turn_." The Entity drew a card. " _I summon_ Aeronaut Astronaut _. Next, I activate a spell card._ Back to the Drawing Board! _! By tributing my_ Aeronaut Astronaut _, I can Special Summon_ Aeronautical Space Station _in defense mode! With its 3000 defense, you won't be able to easily reach my Life Points, even if I cannot use its effect to make it indestructible._ "

"I don't mind. I've already won. I activate _Liftoff!_! This spell card will allow me to Special Summon my own _Aeronaut Astronaut_! And by tributing it, I can summon my _Aeronautical Rocket Cannon_!" Sasuke's monster vanished as the rocket appeared, the cannons extended from within. "And since my _Spark-Nova Dragon_ 's effect isn't a mandatory use, I can use the _Rocket Cannon_ 's effect, reducing its attack by one thousand in order to destroy your _Aeronautical Space Station_!"

The _Rocket Cannon_ 's cannons aimed for the _Space Station_. With one blast, the _Station_ was obliterated. "And now! _Spark-Nova Dragon_! Attack directly with Static Blazar Blast!"

Once again, _Spark Nova Dragon_ opened its mouth, blasting plasma at the Entity. " _Uurgh!_ "

Entity: 2850 LP-0 LP

" _Very good. You have proven yourself worthy to hold the last creations of the race that once lived here. You have a destiny. The_ Aeronauts _and the Azure Dragon will lead you along your path! Good luck, Sasuke Todou!_ "

"On that day, I expected to return from that planet to see the Earth in ruins, that everything the Signers of the Crimson Dragon had done to protect us had been a ruse to gain our trust." Sasuke explained. "But everything had been fine. And I realized that the Azure Dragon was a load of bull. I lost everything that day. I couldn't even check to see if my wife was alright, because there was no way I could have survived the explosion. So I decided to damn that damn dragon."

"Allow us to change your mind. Have a Duel with me." Shiho replied.

"I don't wish to be a part of this battle any more. What I do matters little."

"The Azure Dragon is a servant of shadows. The shadows want change. You look like you want change." Adachi said.

"I can't deny that I'd like the world to know me as Sasuke Todou, one of the rulers of the world, and not Sasuke Todou, the astronaut that died before he made it into space, or Sasuke Rōdōsha, the farmer." Sasuke pondered. He sighed. "Very well. We will Duel. But not here."

"Then where?" Shiho asked. Sasuke smirked. He walked over to the bag that was hanging on the pen fence, and pulled a Duel Disk out of it. He whistled, before the farm started thundering, as three horses charged into the pen. Sasuke mounted one of them.

"Well, come on. Let's go have our Duel!" Sasuke's horse reared, and then charged off, leaving Shiho and Adachi behind with the other two horses. They looked at each other, and then back in the direction Sasuke rode off, before quickly mounting their horses and riding off after him.


	8. The Astronaut that Bars the Way

The Astronaut that Bars the Way

Shiho held the reins with his right hand as he activated his Duel Disk. He drew his five cards, and inserted them into the hand slot normally used for a Turbo Duel. He looked up at Sasuke, who was ready for this Duel. "So how is this gonna work, exactly?"

"The way a regular Duel works, but with an added twist. See, my horses are trained well, but they can still be spooked." Sasuke smirked. "If you fall off your horse, you automatically lose the Duel."

"What? That isn't fair!" Adachi shouted.

"Don't worry. The chances that my horses will get spooked are very low. But hey, its all in good fun, right? Let's do this!"

"Fine!"

"Let's Duel!" That shouted in unison.

Shiho: 4000 LP  
Sasuke: 4000 LP

"I'll start this Duel off! And I'll start by summoning _Aeronaut Gardna_ in defense mode!" Sasuke shouted as his monster appeared, a blue hue coating it. "Next, I'll place two cards facedown, and end my turn!"

"My turn, then! And I summon _Azurian Bailiff_ in defense mode! And when he's in defense mode, I can activate his special ability, switching all other monsters on the field's battle positions!" Shiho's monster appeared, and it whistled its whistle, causing Sasuke's _Gardna_ to switch to attack mode. "I'll also activate my _Right to an Attorney_ spell card! This allows me to special summon an _Azurian_ monster by changing the battle position of a monster on my field, so my _Bailiff_ will change into attack mode, in order to make way for my _Azurian Aide_ in defense mode! And since he's in defense mode, I can add two spell cards from my deck to my hand, so I'm going to choose my second _Right to an Attorney_ and my _Plea Bargaining_!"

"An interesting strategy."

"Oh, I've got more planned! I'll be activating that second _Right to an Attorney_ right now, changing my _Aide_ into attack mode in order to special summon my Tuner monster, the level two _Azurian Councillor_!" Shiho's third monster appeared to the field. "Since my _Aide_ is now in attack mode, I can add a trap card to my hand, so I'm choosing my _Unlawful Detainment_ trap card! And now, I tune my level two _Azurian Councillor_ to my level one _Azurian Aide_ and level four _Azurian Bailiff_! A pound of the gavel, and all must stand in honor of this, the mightiest of judges! So all rise, for court is in session!

"Synchro Summon!" The two level stars of the _Azurian Councillor_ flew out and encircled the other two monsters in glowing green Synchro Rings. The five level stars of the monsters within flew out of their bodies and aligned themselves in a straight line. A green light pierced through all of the stars and expanded to the innermost edge of the Synchro rings, as Shiho fumbled for his gavel and pounded it down on his Duel Disk. "The one who presides over all! _Azurian Grand Prosecutor_!"

"Impressive." Sasuke sighed, checking his watch.

"Are you not taking this Duel seriously?" Adachi demanded.

"Not really, no. I know I'm gonna win. I have the remnants of a lost civilization on my side. You've got a few lawyers and a judge on yours."

"We'll see! The effect of my _Grand Prosecutor_ allows me to destroy a spell or trap card on the field when it's in attack mode, so I'll be destroying your facedown on the left!" The _Grand Prosecutor_ raised its gavel-shaped maul and smashed it down on the ground, causing a crack to pass through the ground before a spike exploded out of the ground and into the air, revealing Sasuke's facedown to by a trap card called _Factory Accident_. Both the horses seemed a little uneasy by the minor earthquake and the spike that followed, but they seemed to settle down. Sasuke smirked, and turned, riding away, his holograms following.

"Very good. Without my _Factory Accident_ , I can't destroy your attacking monster."

"Hey! Get back here!" Shiho and Adachi spurred their horses to follow.

"Tell me this. How do you know I don't have a worse card facedown?"

"Well, we're about to find out! _Azurian Grand Prosecutor_! Attack with Smashing Justice!" Shiho's monster leapt into the air, and then descended, preparing to smash the _Gardna_ , but it vanished, leaving Shiho, Adachi, and the _Grand Prosecutor_ confused.

"You activated my spell card, _Back to the Drawing Board_! I can tribute my _Gardna_ in order to summon another _Aeronaut_ from my deck! And I'm choosing the _Aeronautical Space Station_!" Sasuke's monster appeared to the field, monolithic compared to the _Grand Prosecutor_. "Do you like it? And the best part? There's no way you can defeat it with that monster!"

"We'll see. I'll set one card facedown, and end my turn."

"My turn, then. And I'll summon my _Aeronautical Satellite_ in defense mode! And I'll use the special effect of my _Space Station_ , reducing its defense by five hundred in order to make all monsters I control impervious until my next Standby Phase!" Sasuke's new monster appeared to the field, as robotic arms reached off the _Space Station_ in order to create a barrier, blocking all of Sasuke's monsters. "Good luck getting past this!"

"Grrr!" Shiho drew a card. "I'll place another card facedown, and end my turn!"

"Then it's my turn. And I summon my _Aeronaut Pilot_! And now, I've got all the pieces I need in place! I tune my level one _Aeronautical Satellite_ to my level three _Aeronaut Pilot_ and level six _Aeronautical Space Station_! Reaching far into the depths of space, this mighty machine has grown in strength beyond anything you've ever seen! This, the one that opens the door! Synchro Summon!" The single level star of the _Satellite_ flew out and encircled the _Space Station_ and the _Pilot_ in a humungous glowing green Synchro rings. The nine level stars of the two monsters inside flew out of their forms and aligned themselves in a straight line before a bright green blast of light pierced them, expanding to the innermost edge of the Synchro ring. "Approach, _Aeronautical Probe_!"

Shiho's horse whinnied slightly as the light faded, and Shiho was shocked to see the enormous machine staring at him. "And I can activate its special ability, reducing its attack by 500 in order to destroy one monster on the field!"

"What?!" Shiho looked up at the eye-like portion of the _Probe_ , and noticed it charging up red, preparing to blast his _Grand Prosecutor_. "No!"

 _Aeronautical Probe_ : 3500 ATK – 500 ATK = 3000 ATK

"Yes!" Sasuke replied as the _Probe_ fired its blast at the _Grand Prosecutor_ , causing it to explode. Shiho's horse really didn't like that, and it started to tug away from trailing Sasuke.

"No, no no no. Come on, horse. You can do this." Shiho whispered, and the horse seemed to calm down. "Okay. Bring it on, Sasuke!"

" _Aeronautical Probe_! Attack Shiho directly!"

"Not quite! I activate my _Dial 911_ trap card! This card will allow me to special summon a random _Azurian_ monster from my deck with its effect negated, and it will prevent me from taking battle damage from battles involving it!" Shiho's Duel Disk slid a card out, and he drew it and slapped it onto the field. "What a perfect choice! A normal monster! _Azurian Judiciary_ , level six with 2200 attack!"

"Its level and attack don't matter!" Sasuke replied as Shiho's monster exploded, however, it was a fair distance away from Shiho and his horse, so the horse didn't react.

"That's where you're wrong! I activate _Unlawful Detainment_! It switches your monster into defense mode, and allows me to summon the last _Azurian_ monster that was destroyed in battle!" Shiho countered as his _Azurian Judiciary_ returned to the field. "And this gives me everything I need to summon a new monster!"

"Intriguing!" Sasuke replied. "Show me what you've got, then!"

"I intend to! My turn!" Shiho drew a card from his deck. "I summon _Azurian Clerk_! And I'll tune it to my level six _Azurian Judiciary_! Law. The defining force of our society. I summon forth a dragon who is Law Incarnate! All rise, for court is in session!

"Synchro Summon!" Just with before, the two level stars of the _Clerk_ flew out and encircled the _Judiciary_ in two glowing green Synchro rings. The six level stars of the monster within flew out and aligned themselves in a straight line, a green light piercing through them and expanding to the innermost edge of the Synchro rings. Once again, more determined, this time, Shiho drew his gavel and pounded it down on his Duel Disk. "The Supreme Judge, _Justiciar Dragon_!"

Shiho's mark of the dragon started to glow, followed quickly by both Adachi's and Sasuke's. Sasuke smirked. "So this is your Signer dragon, eh? This ought to be fun. However you have overlooked one thing."

"And what's that?"

"He doesn't have enough attack points to defeat my monster, especially in defense mode!"

"Are you sure?" Shiho replied coyly. "Look again."

Sasuke looked again, and sure enough, the attack of _Justiciar Dragon_ was much higher than it was just a moment ago. "Wait, what?"

"My dragon gains 500 attack for every WATER attribute monster in my Graveyard." Shiho explained. "By my count, that's six Azurians, all WATER attribute. Therefore, my monster gains three thousand attack!"

 _Justiciar Dragon_ : 2600 ATK + 3000 ATK = 5600 ATK

"Impressive. Fifty-six hundred attack is indeed a force to be reckoned with."

"That's right! Now, _Justiciar Dragon_! Attack, with Justice Wave!" _Justiciar Dragon_ opened its mouth and roared, obliterating the _Probe_. This time, it was Sasuke's horse to get spooked, and it ran straight for a tree, but he brought it to a stop, Shiho stopping close to him.

"That was an impressive attack, but it does give me a bit of an advantage."

"How so?"

"When the _Aeronautical Probe_ is destroyed, I can special summon all the monsters I used to summon it!" Sasuke explained as the three monsters he used to summon the _Probe_ returned to the field. "So say hello again to my _Aeronautical Space Station and Satellite_ , as well as my _Aeronaut Pilot_!"

"So I've given you the things you need in order to summon another monster?"

"That's right!" Sasuke drew a card from his deck. "When I control an _Aeronaut_ monster with 500 or less attack, I can activate my _Aeronautical Satellite_ , increasing its level by one for every card in my hand! I've got four in my hand, which means that my _Aeronautical Satellite_ increases its level to be level five! Now, I tune my level five _Aeronuatical Satellite_ to my level three _Aeronaut Pilot_! Shock and awe, to all those who witness this mighty being! This, the one who knows no limits! Synchro Summon!"

Four additional lights started blinking on the _Satellite_ before it vanished, leaving the five blinking lights, which are, in reality, Level stars. The five level stars encircled the _Pilot_ as it vanished, leaving behind its three level stars. Those three level stars aligned themselves in a straight line as a green light pierced through them and expanded to the innermost edge of the Synchro rings, as with the other three Synchro summons this duel. "Electrocute all who stand before you, _Spark-Nova Dragon_!"

"And I take it that this is your own Signer dragon!"

"That's right! And he's got a special ability! Since your dragon has an effect to gain attack, I can negate that effect, and apply it to my monster, meaning I'll be the one to gain three thousand attack points!"

 _Justiciar Dragon_ : 5600 ATK – 3000 ATK = 2600 ATK

"Not quite. See, I noticed that every monster you've played so far has been a LIGHT monster."

"Yeah, so?"

"Without any WATER monsters in your Graveyard, you don't get an attack increase from my dragon's effect!"

"What?"

"And that means that my monster still has more attack than yours!"

"Not for long!" Sasuke countered, much to Shiho's chagrin. "That effect also applies to my own monsters! So by reducing my _Space Station_ 's defense by five hundred, I COULD protect my monsters, but instead, I'm gonna negate the change with my _Spark-Nova Dragon_ , and increase its attack by five hundred, instead!"

 _Spark-Nova Dragon_ : 2550 ATK + 500 ATK = 3050 ATK

"What?"

"Now, then!" Sasuke's dragon powered up as it absorbed light from his own _Space Station_. " _Spark-Nova Dragon_! Attack, with Static Blazar Blast!"

 _Spark-Nova Dragon_ opened its mouth and blasted plasma at _Justiciar Dragon_ , as both Shiho and Adachi watched in horror.


	9. Space

Space

" _Spark-Nova Dragon_! Attack, with Static Blazar Blast!"

 _Spark-Nova Dragon_ opened its mouth and blasted plasma at Justiciar Dragon, as both Shiho and Adachi watched in horror. As the blast made contact, _Justiciar Dragon_ roared in pain, but as the plasma faded, his monster was still on the field.

"What? That's not possible!"

"Oh, yes it is, Sasuke!" Shiho replied. "See, your dragon's effect may have negated my dragon's effect to gain attack, but it didn't negate its other effect, which makes it incapable of being destroyed in battle!"

"That may be so, but you still take damage!"

Shiho: 4000 LP-3550 LP

"True, but it also leaves you wide open!"

"How so?"

"Let me show you!" Shiho drew a card from his deck. "I summon _Azurian Prosecutor_! And with its special ability, because my _Prosecutor_ is in attack mode, I can lock your _Spark-Nova Dragon_ up for one turn, making it incapable of making an attack next turn!"

"Huh?"

"That's right! And I'll set one card facedown to end my turn!"

"My turn, then! And I'm gonna tribute my _Space Station_ in order to summon my _Aeronautical Rocket Cannon_!" The _Aeronautical Space Station_ collapsed into itself and became a glowing ball of rainbow-like radiance, before a large rocket blasted out of it, performing a barrel roll so that it can be behind Sasuke and next to his _Spark-Nova Dragon_. "And I'm gonna activate its special ability! Neither of my monsters can attack, _Spark-Nova_ due to your _Prosecutor_ , and _Rocket Cannon_ by its own effect! But I can use my _Rocket Cannon_ to blast your _Justiciar Dragon_ out of the sky! All by reducing its attack by one thousand!"

 _Aeronautical Rocket Cannon_ : 3000 ATK – 1000 ATK = 2000 ATK

The _Aeronautical Rocket Cannon_ extended its cannons and charged up energy, before blasting _Justiciar Dragon_ with energy, causing it to explode. The shockwave of the explosion caused Shiho's horse to take a few steps back, but he steadied it. "My turn, then! And this is a turn you won't soon forget! I switch my _Prosecutor_ to defense mode, which will allow me to special summon my level 3 _Azurian Attorney_ from my deck! Next, I normal summon my _Azurian Enforcer_! And I'm gonna tune my level one _Enforcer_ to my level three _Attorney_ and my level four _Prosecutor_! Rise to the occasion, and rule over all that sit in your court! You, the true abider of law, and the enforcer over all! All rise, for court is in session!

"Synchro Summon!" The single level star of the _Enforcer_ flew out and created a glowing green Synchro ring that surrounded Shiho's other two monsters. The seven level stars of the monsters within flew out and aligned themselves in a straight line as a green light pierced all of them and then expanded to the innermost edge of the Synchro rings. "Take to the podium, _Azurian High Judiciary_!"

"The _High Judiciary_ , huh? Sorry to say, he doesn't exactly frighten me."

"He should! _Azurian High Judiciary_! Attack _Aeronautical Rocket Cannon_!" The _High Judiciary_ raised its gavel and pounded it on its podium, sending out a shockwave that caused the metal of the _Aeronautical Rocket Cannon_ to crumple until it exploded.

"Whoa!" Sasuke's horse took a few steps back as the shockwave from the attack caused leaves to blow off trees and flowers and other small plants to rip out of the ground and blow away.

Sasuke: 4000 LP – 3400 LP

"Next, I'll set this card facedown, and end my turn!"

"My turn, then!" Sasuke drew a card from his deck. "Since you didn't use your _Prosecutor_ 's effect, my dragon is free to attack this turn! Now, _Spark-Nova Dragon_! Attack the _High Judiciary_ with Static Blazar Blast!"

"Not so fast! See, when my _High Judiciary_ is on the field in attack mode, you must pay 300 Life Points to attack!"

"Then I'll do it! What's three hundred points to destroy your monster?"

Sasuke: 3400 LP – 3100 LP

Just as with before, _Spark-Nova Dragon_ opened its mouth and blasted plasma at Shiho's monster, coating it in energy, however, like with _Justiciar Dragon_ , it wasn't destroyed. "What?"

"I activated my _Plea Bargaining_ just in time! It makes my monster unable to be destroyed by battle this turn!"

"But once again, you still take the battle damage!"

Shiho: 3550 LP – 3100 LP

"Hey, look! We're tied again!" Shiho joked, but Sasuke growled. He spurred his horse and it began to gallop back to his farm, but Shiho and Adachi were already in hot pursuit. "My turn! And I'm gonna set this card facedown, and summon my _Azurian Paralegal_ in defense mode!"

"My turn, then!" Sasuke drew a card from his deck. _He's proven to be a much better Duelist than I thought, but I won't let him win!_ "I summon my _Aeronautical Lunar Module_! Next, I'll use the spell card _Stage Separation_ , which allows me tribute my monster in order to force yours into its previous stage, namely, the monsters used in its summon!"

"What?" Shiho watched as his monster split apart, back into the _Prosecutor_ , _Attorney_ , and _Enforcer_ , in defense mode. "Now, then! I'm going to use my _Lunar Module_ to destroy your _Enforcer_!"

Shiho watched as the _Lunar Module_ blasted over and smashed straight through the _Enforcer_. "Next, I'll use my _Spark-Nova Dragon_ to destroy your _Prosecutor_!"

For a third time this duel, the _Spark-Nova Dragon_ powered up its Static Blazar Blast, and it fired, obliterating his monster. "Now you've done it, Sasuke."

"Have I?"

"Yes. You have." Shiho smirked as his mark of the dragon began to glow even brighter than before. The top card of his deck started to glow as he felt a tingling sensation on his back.

"What's happening to your deck?"

"You'll see as soon as your turn ends!"

"Then I'll do something to protect my _Lunar Module_!" Sasuke replied. "I'll set two cards facedown!"

"My turn, then! And I summon _Majestic Dragon_!" Shiho shouted as his monster appeared. "Next, I activate my facedown _Testimony_ spell card! By changing the battle positions of two _Azurian_ monsters, I can recall any monster from the Graveyard, and I'm choosing my _Justiciar Dragon_!"

Shiho's dragon roared to the field in a flash of light, and glared at _Spark-Nova Dragon_. Sasuke laughed. "I destroyed that monster already! And due to my _Spark-Nova Dragon_ , you can't use its effect to increase its attack, which means you can't destroy my _Spark-Nova Dragon_ in battle!"

"Don't be so sure. Because I've got one more monster to summon! Because by tuning my level one _Majestic Dragon_ to my level one _Paralegal_ and level eight _Justiciar Dragon_! From the deepest call of duty, this true embodiment of justice and law explodes forth! All rise, for court is in session! Synchro Summon!" The _Majestic Dragon_ flew up and spread its wings, causing a wave of pink light to fly off as it expanded in size. _Justiciar Dragon_ roared as it flew into the dragon, the _Paralegal_ following suit. The nine level stars of the monsters inside flew out and aligned themselves in a straight line inside the _Majestic Dragon_ as a burst of green light exploded through it and then enveloped the field. Sasuke's horse shuddered, but Shiho's rode strong as the light faded away, leaving behind his monster. "The ultimate being of law, _Majestic Just Dragon_!"

" _Majestic_ what?!" Sasuke stopped, back in the round pen at his farm, as Shiho and Adachi stopped at the entrance to the pen. He looked up at the monster, its size dwarfing his _Spark-Nova Dragon_.

"And I activate my _Majestic Just Dragon_ 's effect, negating your _Spark-Nova Dragon_ 's effect!" Shiho shouted as Sasuke's mouth dropped open. "This negates the attack you gained, and prevents you from activating its effect again! It also allows me to half your monster's attack because my monster is in attack mode!"

 _Spark-Nova Dragon_ : 3050 ATK – 500 ATK = 2550 ATK/2 = 1275 ATK

"Oh, no!"

"That's right!" Shiho replied. " _Azurian Attorney_! Attack the _Aeronautical Lunar Module_!"

The _Attorney_ opened its briefcase, causing a storm of papers to blast out and tear the _Lunar Module_ apart.

Sasuke: 3100 LP – 2100 LP

"And now, I'll activate my _Scrap-Yard Aeronaut_! This will allow me to summon my _Aeronautical Space Station_ back to the field!"

"That's all well and good, but I'm gonna attack your _Spark-Nova Dragon_ with _Majestic Just Dragon_! Go! Justice Smash!" _Majestic Just Dragon_ flew up into the sky, and then descended on Sasuke's monster, but then an explosion coated the field.

"I activate my _Factory Accident_ trap card!"

"I'd say something about how I destroyed that already and be surprised, but most duelists tend to use multiples of each card." Shiho mused. "But joke's on you, because my _Majestic Just Dragon_ cannot be destroyed by battle or card effects! So his attack continues unabated!"

"No!" Sasuke looked up as _Majestic Just Dragon_ blasted through _Spark-Nova Dragon_ , obliterating it. The shockwave threw him from his horse as his Life Points reached zero. He groaned as he looked up, just in time to see a dark cloud pass from Shiho to himself.

Sasuke: 2100 LP – 0 LP

As the dark cloud subsided, Sasuke looked up, the entire plan of the darkness right there. And never had it looked so appealing… Shiho and Adachi dismounted their horses and walked over. Shiho extended his hand to Sasuke, who took it. Shiho smiled. "Welcome to the Azure Signers."


	10. The Time of Angels

_Previously…_

 _Shiho and Adachi located Sasuke Todou, who was using the alias of Rōdōsha to stay hidden. After learning of his story and how he was sent to another planet by the Azure Dragon to save him from the explosion of a rocket. Upon this planet, Sasuke received the_ Aeronaut _cards, cards that represent a long lost civilization. After a duel with Shiho, Sasuke was defeated with_ Majestic Just Dragon _, and was pulled into the corruption of the Azure Dragon. Meanwhile, back at Yusei's place, Mateo restlessly waits for his arm to heal, so he can join the search for his friend once more…_

The Time of Angels

Mateo was asleep on the couch when Luna walked in with some food. She sighed, and turned the TV off, pulled a blanket over Mateo. She turned off the light and left. That's when a blast of light exploded in front of Mateo, causing him to cover his eyes. As the light mostly faded, he saw a familiar sight: a woman coated in light. He smiled. "Illeya."

"Hello, young one." She replied. "I'd love to chat, but there's something I came here to do."

"What is it?"

"Your friend, Shiho. I didn't think the Darkness would have activated him so soon, and I apologize for that." Illeya explained. "I've come to right the wrong, but I'll need your help."

"My help? There won't be much that I can do, considering the shape my arm is in."

"Don't worry. What I'm planning will most likely heal you in the process."

"What are you planning?"

"A merge."

"A merge?"

"Yes." Illeya answered. "There is so much dark energy around Shiho and the others two that follow him—"

"Two? He must have found one of the other Azure Signers."

"Indeed." Illeya replied. "But with every passing moment, and with every Signer that he corrupts, the dark energy increases. It has grown to a point that for an entity like me that doesn't have a physical form, it is almost impossible to appear before him. However, if we merge, it fuses us together temporarily. We would share a body, and I can even use that to heal you at an accelerated rate."

"What is it that you are planning on doing?"

"Well, while I can't manifest before him due to the strength of his darkness, I am still a powerful entity of Light." Illeya explained. "He is the epicenter of the shadow. If I defeat him, the power that flows in and about me will pass to him and cleanse him of the shadow, and might also pass on to the other Signers and end his threat once and for all."

"So you're going to Duel him?"

Illeya held up her deck. "That's right."

"Then let's do it." Mateo decided. Illeya nodded, and put her head on his as she started to glow even more. After a flash of light, Mateo's eyes opened, glowing white for a moment before fading. He sat up and pulled his arm out of the sling, causing his body to involuntarily wince.

 _You certainly did do quite a number to your arm, didn't you, Mateo?_ Illeya asked.

 _You can thank Shiho for the extent of the damage._ Mateo replied. _Although I did put myself in that situation._

 _It should be completely healed in no time._ Illeya said as Mateo stood up. He picked up Illeya's deck, which was sitting on the end table. He walked over to his bag and took his deck out of his Duel Disk, replacing it with Illeya's, before putting the Duel Disk on. Then the light clicked on.

"Mateo Yurigaya, what do you think you're doing?!" Luna demanded, and Mateo turned around.

"I've got no choice, Luna."

"Like hell you don't! You need to rest!"

"I can't. Not now." Mateo sighed, looking down. Then he inhaled sharply before looking back up at Luna. His eyes flashed white for a moment, and she took a step back.

"What the…"

"Luna. You must allow us to leave." Illeya spoke, through Mateo.

"Us?" Luna asked, confused.

"My name is Illeya. I am an emissary of the Dimension of Light, and I must right my wrong." Illeya replied. "I can only doing that by merging with Mateo and dueling Shiho Bengo."

"But… But if you lose, won't mateo get corrupted?"

"No. Mateo will be safe so long as I am here. I will stave off corruption, even if I have to sacrifice myself to do it." Illeya replied. "If you wish to come and watch the Duel. If it will set your mind at ease."

"Yeah. Yeah, okay." Luna put her coat on as Illeya relinquished control of Mateo back to him.

 _He is in an old area of the Satellite district, one of the un-renovated areas._ Illeya told him. _Go to him there. And then we will attempt to right this wrong_.

Mateo nodded, and walked away, Luna at his side.

"Now that we have three of the four Signers, we almost have everything we need to begin our battle against the Crimson Dragon!" Shiho smirked as he looked at Adachi and Sasuke. "Once we find the last one, we'll be ready!"

"Not if I have anything to say about it." Mateo said. Shiho turned around, bewildered, to see Mateo and Luna standing opposite him at the entrance.

"Mateo?" Shiho asked, surprised to see him so soon after leaving him in that warehouse.

"Not exactly." Mateo's eyes flashed white, as Illeya took over. Shiho growled.

"Anya."

"Actually, I prefer Illeya now."

"Whatever you prefer. You betrayed the Darkness and joined the Light."

"I have come to challenge you."

"Time was, you didn't need to merge with a human for that." Adachi stated, but Mateo/Illeya looked at him.

"The shadow that flows around you makes it hard to appear without a physical form. This was the best option."

"So you intend to lose. Let's face it, you essentially walked Mateo to us." Sasuke said, almost distant, like the words weren't truly his. "With him on our side, the Crimson Dragon will surely lose!"

"Mateo will not fall to you today, even if I do." Illeya stretch Mateo's left arm, which was now completely healed. She activated his Duel Disk. "But that does not mean we cannot have a Duel."

"Very well, then. Let's have a Duel." Shiho activated his own Duel Disk.

"Stand back." Mateo said to Luna. She took a few steps back as Mateo looked back to Shiho, Illeya taking over again.

"Let's begin!" They shouted in unison.

Illeya: 4000 LP  
Shiho: 4000 LP

"I'll go first." Illeya said as Mateo drew the card. "I summon my _Shining Angel_ in defense mode!"

"An Angel monster? Could you be any more cliché?"

"Get over it. I'll set one card facedown and end my turn!"

"My turn, then!" Shiho drew a card. "I summon _Azurian Paralegal_ in defense mode! I'll place one card facedown and end my turn!"

"Interesting." Illeya replied. "At my End Phase, your _Paralegal_ will be replaced with _Azurian Attorney_ because it is in defense mode. Looks like I'll have to deal with it, then!"

"Make your move, then!"

"Very well, I draw! And I'm going to switch my _Shining Angel_ to attack mode!" Illeya pointed at the _Paralegal_. "Attack _Azurian Paralegal_ with Feather Storm attack!"

"Not so fast! I'm going to use my _Civil Disobedience_ trap card!"

"Sorry, but I will not be allowing that!" Illeya's facedown card opened up. "My facedown trap card is the _Holy Host_! When I control an Angel monster, I can activate this card to negate the activation of another spell or trap card on the field, and I can destroy it! So that means that my attack continues forward!"

The _Shining Angel_ spread its wings and flapped them, causing feather-shaped bolts of light to pierce through the _Paralegal_ , and it exploded. Shiho frowned. Illeya pulled a card from Mateo's hand. "I'll set one card facedown and end my turn!"

"My turn, then! And I summon _Azurian Prosecutor_!" Shiho exclaimed as his monster appeared to the field. " _Prosecutor_ , attack _Shining Angel_!"

The _Prosecutor_ leapt at the _Shining Angel_ , and with one swift motion, destroyed it, however it left behind a glowing entity.

Illeya: 4000 LP – 3500 LP

"What the hell is that?" Shiho pointed at the humanoid-shaped white light in the middle of the field.

"When you attack Angels, they bring more soldiers in from Heaven. Let's just say that the Dimension of Light is Heaven in this instance." Illeya explained as a card slid out of her deck. "And by the effect of _Shining Angel_ , I can special summon a LIGHT monster from my deck that has fifteen hundred or less attack from my deck, and I choose another of my _Shining Angels_!"

The glowing entity took form, spreading its wings as the light faded away, leaving behind another _Shining Angel_. "Now it's my turn! And I'll summon _Angelic Cloud_! And its special ability will allow me to special summon another Angel monster, and I choose my _Petit Angel_! Next, I'm going to tune my level two _Angelic Cloud_ to my level four _Shining Angel_ and level three _Petit Angel_! This bonding will allow me to call forth, from the heavens, the _Archangel Gabrius_!"

 _Angelic Cloud_ vanished, leaving its two level stars behind. The level stars flew up into the sky and transformed into shimmering white Synchro wings that dropped to the duel around _Shining_ and _Petit Angels_. The seven level stars of the monsters inside flew out and aligned themselves in a straight line as a bright white light pierced through all of them and expanded to the innermost edge of the Synchro rings. As the light faded, Illeya's new creature extended its wings as it drew its mighty sword, prepared to fight.

 _Archangel Gabrius is a level 9 LIGHT-attribute Fairy-type Synchro monster with 2800 attack points, and 2000 defense points._

" _Archangel Gabrius_ has a special effect! I can discard one card with the word "Angel" in its name, depending on the card, I can gain an effect!" Illeya pulled another card from her hand and sent it to the graveyard. "So I'll send my _Guardian Angel Joan_ to the grave! And because I sent a monster, I can give my _Archangel Gabrius_ her effect until the End Phase! Now, _Archangel Gabrius_! Attack _Azurian Prosecutor_ with Archangel Sword!"

 _Archangel Gabrius_ launched forward and smashed the _Prosecutor_ with its sword, causing it to shatter. Energy flowed through its sword, and then passed from _Gabrius_ to Illeya.

Illeya: 3500 LP – 5400 LP  
Shiho: 4000 LP – 3100 LP

"Whoa, wait. Time out!" Shiho shouted. "How did you increase your Life Points?"

"The effect of my _Archangel Gabrius_. By discarding _Guardian Angel Joan_ , I gain its effect for one turn." Illeya explained. " _Guardian Joan_ 's effect increases my Life Points by the original attack of any monster it destroys in battle, meaning that since my _Gabrius_ had that effect, I gain Life points equal to the _Prosecutor_ 's original attack!"

"Grrr!" Shiho looked up at the monster. _How can I hope to defeat that thing?_

"I can't allow you to do what you're about to do, Shiho." Illeya said. "It's nothing personal. But you'll never get past my monster!"


	11. As Angels Fall

_Previously…_

 _Illeya has returned to our dimension in order to right her wrongs. By merging with Mateo, she attains a physical form in order to stand before the shadow that surrounds Shiho. With that, she challenges him to a duel, and quickly dominates the field with her ace monster,_ Archangel Gabrius _. Will Illeya stop Shiho and defeat the Darkness once and for all? Or will she fall, leaving Mateo to Shiho's mercy once again? Read on, and find out._

As Angels Fall

"You have a very powerful monster, Illeya." Shiho noted. "But _Archangel Gabrius_ will fall before my _Justiciar Dragon_. Just his summon alone will place enough WATER-type monsters in the Graveyard via his effect."

Shiho: 3100 LP

"That is a good point, Shiho." Illeya replied. "But maybe I have a card lying in wait for your _Justiciar Dragon_."

Illeya: 5400 LP

"It's my turn, then. And I draw!" Shiho smirked. "I heard of some of the Angel monsters, you know. I know that while the few that there are have very powerful effects, they don't have everything. That's why I'll set this card facedown, and summon the _Azurian Secretary_ in defense mode!"

"My turn, then! And I'll discard my _Angel Lancer_! This will give my _Archangel Gabrius_ the effect of piercing battle damage this turn!" Illeya smirked. " _Gabrius_ , attack the _Azurian Secretary_ with Archangel Lance!"

 _Archangel Gabrius_ aimed its sword as it transformed into a mighty lance. It charged at the _Secretary_ , who redirected the lance through a different portion of her desk that she was hiding under, and she was undestroyed. "What? That isn't possible!"

"Oh, yes it is! See, I used my facedown spell card, _Plea Bargaining_ , which makes one monster I control unable to be destroyed in battle this turn!"

"That may be so, but you still take the battle damage!"

"I don't know why everyone tells me that. It's literally my deck, I know what happens."

Shiho: 3100 LP – 2300 LP

"But in any event, my monster stays on the field!"

"Very well. I'll end my turn!"

"My move, then!" Shiho looked at the card he just drew and scowled. _No! This isn't the card I need!_ "I guess I'll have to summon the _Azurian Clerk_ in defense mode! And with its special effect, when it is on the field in defense mode, I can add a spell card to my hand, so I'm choosing another _Plea Bargaining_! I'll use it on my _Secretary_ , in order to defend her from battle!"

"My turn, then!" Illeya pulled another card from her hand. "I'll activate this spell card. _Archangel's Vengeance_! By sending three Angel cards from my deck to the grave, I can target one Archangel monster I control. This turn, instead of inflicting battle damage, I can banish a monster that it attacks from the game!"

"What?!"

"That's right! So by sending my _Shining Angel, Angel Swordsman, and Shield Angel_ to the Graveyard in order to give my _Archangel Gabrius_ the power to smite down anything!" Mateo's Duel Disk slid three cards out of Illeya's deck. She pulled them and discarded them to the Graveyard. " _Archangel Gabrius_! Archangel Sword! Smite that _Secretary_ out of existence!"

 _Archangel Gabrius_ aimed its sword and blasted at the _Secretary_ with its powerful wings. A blue glow coated its sword, and as soon as it touched the desk of the _Secretary_ , the blue light surrounded her. She screamed before exploding in a blast of light. In a moment, the _Azurian Secretary_ was no more. Shiho looked up at _Archangel Gabrius_ , fear starting to trickle in. _This is what she became as a member of the side of Light? Her deck is nearly perfect, so long as she controls that_ Archangel _! How do I win? If I do win, it will have to take everything I've got!_

"Well, Shiho Bengo?" Illeya asked. "What are you waiting for?"

"My turn!" Shiho drew a card. _Yes!_ "I summon the _Azurian Bailiff_! So long as I control my _Bailiff_ in attack mode, one monster you control cannot attack!"

"An interesting strategy. Freeze my monster so that you can summon monsters to summon _Justiciar_." Illeya replied as she drew a card from her deck. "But it is flawed. My turn!"

"We'll just see about that!"

"There are other ways for an Archangel to do things." Illeya replied. "When I've used _Archangel Gabrius_ to discard Angel monsters, I can summon one Angel monster from my Graveyard. However, if this Angel monster is a level five or higher, I must banish other Angels in the Graveyard in order to summon it back to the field!"

"You can _what_?!" Shiho opened his mouth in shock. Luna looked impressed.

 _This Illeya has taken this Duel by storm!_ She thought to herself. _Mateo was willing to allow her to merge with him in order to use his form to Duel Shiho and right a wrong, and she seems to be making due on her promise. Perhaps she really can be trusted!_

"So by banishing the _Angel Lancer_ and the _Shining Angel_ in my Graveyard, I summon back my _Guardian Angel Joan_ that I discarded with my _Archangel Gabrius_!" Illeya's monster returned to the field, spreading her wings. "Attack _Azurian Bailiff_!"

"No!" Shiho looked to his _Bailiff_ as Illeya's _Guardian Angel Joan_ shot off a wave of white light that caused the _Bailiff_ to explode.

Shiho: 2300 LP – 1100 LP

"And because my _Guardian Angel Joan_ destroyed a monster in battle, I can gain that monster's original attack as Life Points!"

Illeya: 5400 LP – 7000 LP

"And now that your _Bailiff_ is no longer on the field, _Archangel Gabrius_ is free to make an attack!" Illeya called as her monster charged and sliced the _Clerk_ in two, causing it to explode. "And now, you have no defense. However, there is a benefit for you. When my _Archangel Gabrius_ special summons an Angel monster with its effect, it's banished in the End Phase. So this will be the last you're seeing of my _Guardian Angel Joan_ , but she served me well in this Duel, and her sacrifice will not go unrewarded!"

Shiho watched as the _Guardian Angel Joan_ vanished in a flash of light. He looked down at his trembling hands. _So this is the power the Light has. Maybe Mateo was right… No! I can't start saying that now! I have to win this!_ "I draw!"

"Make whatever move you like. You will not win."

"I'll summon my _Azurian Attorney_ in defense mode!"

"My turn, then. And your _Attorney_ is vanquished." Shiho watched as _Gabrius_ obliterated his monster.

"My turn, again, then! And I summon the _Azurian Aide_!" Once again, Illeya destroyed it. Shiho looked down at his cards. No useful monsters. He drew a card, and was met with a spell card. _No! Without a monster… She can attack me directly!_

"Shiho, you better win this!" Adachi shouted, but Sasuke shoved him aside.

"He doesn't need you berating him."

"I… I end my turn…" Shiho said, sadly. Luna looked shocked. Illeya had not only beaten Shiho, but easily! All she had to do was attack, and he would be defeated!

"You played a good game, but this is what is right, Shiho Bengo." Illeya drew her card. " _Archangel Gabrius_ , attack Shiho Bengo directly with Archangel Sword!"

"I'm so sorry, guys…" Shiho closed his eyes, waiting for the attack. _Gabrius_ flew at Shiho and brought its sword down, stopping moments before it would have struck him in the neck. He opened its eyes to see the blade an inch away, but unmoving. Everyone was shocked, as the hologram of _Gabrius_ flickered. Illeya and Luna watched wide-eyed as the hologram of _Archangel Gabrius_ slowly shattered, the shards flying away and vanishing, with the sword being left behind for a moment, before it, too, shattered.

"What?!" Luna asked. "Shiho didn't play anything! There's no way he did that!"

"It seems that there is a third party involved in all of this."

"Well, whatever!" Shiho drew a card from his deck. "I summon the _Azurian Enforcer_! And by changing his battle position twice with my two _Right to an Attorney_ spell cards, I can special summon monsters from my hand! So I summon a second _Azurian Bailiff_ , and my _Azurian Juror_!"

"Here it comes."

"Illeya, can't you do anything?"

"There is nothing I can do. Whoever erased _Gabrius_ made it so I wouldn't be able to do anything to stop him."

"I tune my level one _Enforcer_ to my level three _Juror_ and level four _Bailiff_! Law. The defining force of our society. I summon forth a dragon who is Law Incarnate! All rise, for court is in session!" The one level star of the _Enforcer_ flew out and created a glowing green Synchro ring around the other two monsters. The two monsters inside vanished, leaving behind their seven level stars. They aligned themselves in a straight line as a green light pierced through them and expanded to the innermost edge of the Synchro rings as Shiho drew his gavel and pounded it on the center of his Duel Disk. "Synchro Summon! The Supreme Judge, _Justiciar Dragon_!"

"There it is. His most powerful monster."

"My mighty dragon gains 500 attack for every WATER attribute monster in my graveyard! Since I have nine, that means my monster gains forty-five hundred attack points!"

 _Justiciar Dragon_ : 2600 ATK + 500*9 = 2600 ATK + 4500 ATK = 7100 ATK

" _Justiciar Dragon_! Attack Illeya directly with Justice Wave attack!" _Justiciar Dragon_ roared, sending off a wave of energy. The warehouse where Illeya and Luna was standing began to rumble, and Mateo was blasted back, leaving Illeya behind, the merging shattered. Luna ran over to Mateo, who groaned as he sat up, looking at Illeya. "You lost, Illeya. And you were inside Mateo, and he is a Signer. Therefore, he becomes corrupted!"

"Not quite. I may have lost, but Mateo will be safe!" Illeya started disappearing, from her feet up, being replaced with a dark energy. "I give myself up willingly to protect Mateo's soul! While the darkness may cause me to disperse, you can count on the fact that I will return one day!"

Illeya vanished, and the light her body cast off was replaced with darkness. Shiho took a few steps forward, expecting Mateo to push Luna aside and join his ranks, but he didn't. Luna helped him up. "Expecting something, Shiho?"

"That's not possible! You lost! You should be corrupted by my dark miasma!"

"I'm not seeing any dark miasma, Shiho." Mateo replied. "But let me ask you this. After seeing the power the light has, do you have any second thoughts?"

"Of course not!"

"Then you are truly past the point of saving, aren't you?" Mateo looked down at the deck in his Deck zone. He drew out the _Archangel Gabrius_ in his Duel Disk, the only card remaining after Illeya was dispersed. He looked down at it before looking back up to Shiho. "But I'll still try. Let's go, Luna."

Mateo and Luna turned and left, Shiho watching them go. After they were gone, he turned to Sasuke and Adachi. "Find who hacked the duel. We need to know who they are and why they helped me."

"I already have." Sasuke pulled out his phone and revealed that he tracked the hack. Part of what the Fold gave me was the power to manipulate technology easily. We're looking for the hacker."

"Yes, obviously."

"No, I mean THE hacker." Sasuke explained. "We're looking for Hack Kuro."

"Hack helped us?" Adachi asked, surprised.

"Yup. And if I'm right, I know exactly where Hack will be."


	12. 0P3R4710N: 7URB0 DU3L

_Previously…_

 _Backed by the power of shadow, Shiho Bengo, holder of the_ Justiciar Dragon _and the body mark of the Azure Dragon, prepares his ultimate victory. Faced with the ultimate challenge of assembling his fellow Signers, he first dueled Adachi Hatazo, master of the Nightridges and the feared_ Legion Armor Dragon _. He then suffered a near defeat at the hands of his friend, Mateo Yurigaya, holder of the body mark of the Crimson Dragon, however that duel ended in a stalemate when the spirits of the monsters came alive. Since then, Shiho left the city and found Sasuke R ōdōsha, the third of the four Azure Signers. After skillfully defeating him in a duel, the power that has corrupted Shiho flows through Sasuke, as well, pulling him to their cause. But when Illeya, the spirit of the Dimension of Light that has guided Mateo's path reappeared, she requested that she occupy the same body as Mateo in order to duel Shiho. After a near victory with her powerful_ Archangel Gabrius _, someone hacked into the duel and deleted the monster from the system, preventing Illeya's victory. Temporarily dispersed, Illeya will not be able to help Mateo in his coming battles for a while. Meanwhile, Shiho, Adachi, and Sasuke attempt to locate the one who hacked into the duel and spared him before it was too late…_

0P3R4710N: 7URB0 DU3L

Hack grinned as the numbers slowly kept increasing. They slowly rose higher, until they reached $100, 000. She clicked a button at the bottom of the screen that said transfer, and all that money was suddenly somewhere else. She began slowly working her way out of the system, patching the gaps in the firewalls she had made her way through. She even left her typical calling card, a snickering .gif of her most powerful duel monster, a creature called _Stolen Data_. She checked her watch, which had been fed into the security feed, and saw three men approaching her position. She smirked as she packed her equipment up. Peeking her head out the door to check if anyone was coming, she exited the room.

Making her way down the hall, Hack looked around before pulling the fire alarm and exiting the emergency door of the bank. She made her way down the fire escape, and into the alleyway, quickly walking away. As soon as she reached the end of the back alleyway, someone grabbed her and pulled her aside. She reacted quickly, and pulled out her pepper spray, spraying her assailant in the face, who screamed in pain. Two other people grabbed her and she dropped the pepper spray as they brought her into the back alleyway. "I don't have any money on me!"

"What?" Shiho asked. He nodded to Sasuke, who released her at the same time he did, and she collapsed to the ground. "Make sure Adachi is okay."

"Of course." Sasuke looked down at the child-sized Hack, before walked away. Shiho sat down next to her.

"We aren't here to hurt you."

"Well I couldn't tell the difference, what with you guys manhandling me."

"Do you know who I am?"

"Haven't the foggiest. I also don't give a damn."

Shiho sighed. "Do you recall hacking into a duel down in the warehouses three nights ago? Deleted a monster called _Archangel Gabrius_ from the duel, thereby rendering it useless?"

"It might ring a bell. All I know is, there were people looking for someone like me involved in that duel. I took a shot at who it was that was after me. Looks like I guessed wrong."

"We're not your enemies. In fact, we're the farthest thing from it." Shiho pulled the sleeve of his jacket up and showed her his azure mark of the dragon. "In fact, we're almost family."

"Please. I don't have any family."

"Give us a chance."

"No."

"Then have a duel with me."

"No."

"Look, this can go either one way, or the other. If you won't willingly duel me, I'll force you to. You play a role in the fate of this city more than just petty theft." Shiho pulled his sleeve back down. "You can be so much more"

"Fine, as long as you stop talking." Hack pulled her deck out. "One duel."

"Let's go, right here, right now."

"I can't. Turbo Duel only." Hack replied. "I need to make some preparations, first. Meet me at the entrance to Coastal Track 3 in two hours."

"We'll be there." Shiho stood up. "No funny business. If you don't show, we'll find you again."

"If I agree to duel someone, I never refuse."

"I also hope you know that I've had my friend Sasuke maximize security and send it out as an update to all duel systems in the city." Shiho explained. "You won't be hacking your way to victory."

"We'll see."

Shiho, Sasuke, and Adachi stood waiting at the entrance to Coastal Track 3. In the distance, they heard the sound of an approaching motorized vehicle. Suddenly, from around the corner, Hack appeared, riding on a Duel Board. As she approached the three azure Signers, Sasuke and Adachi could barely hold their laughter in. "Aww, is the wittle kiddie ready to duel?"

"I am no 'wittle kiddie'. I am a master hacker, and a master duelist." Hack's Duel Board revved, almost on command. "But I figured you'd find my mode of transportation amusing, so I decided to spice this duel up."

"What do you mean, Hack?" Shiho asked, more intrigued in Hack than amused by her vehicle. Hack smirked as she pressed a button on her watch. The ground started to shake as Coastal Track 3 started to split in half, as if it was designed to. "What the hell?"

"Hey, please. Child ears here." Hack grinned. "This track is built to separate. It was how it was built. But I hacked into the mechanisms that control the track and some of the track are separated, and others are still together. Basically, don't screw up, and don't hit me."

"Fine by me. Let's do this." Shiho and Hack drove their respective vehicles into the Duel Track and brought them to the start line.

"Turbo Duel, engaged. Autopilot standing by. Activating the _Speed World_ 3 field spell." A wave of light floated off the two dueling vehicles, signalling the initiation of a turbo duel. "Autopilot active."

A holographic image appeared that counted down until the duel started. As soon as the duel was to begin, both duelists blasted down the track, Hack's Duel Board moving at incredible speed.

"Let's Duel!" They shouted in unison.

Shiho: 4000 LP SPC 0  
Hack: 4000 LP SPC 0

"First person to take a side of the track goes first!" Hack declared.

"Oh, you are _so_ on!" Shiho replied. As the first separation of the track approached, Shiho revved his engine, but Hack blasted past and took the side he was headed for, causing him to swerve and change course, almost knocking him into the water below. Hack snickered.

"I told you to be careful!"

"Oh, be quiet! Make your first move!"

"Don't mind if I do!" Hack drew a card from her deck, and looked at her choices. "I summon my monster, _Hacker Component – Coaxial Cable_!"

Shiho: 4000 LP SPC 0-1  
Hack: 4000 LP SPC 0-1

Shiho watched in bewilderment as a computerized being appeared, armed with whips made from coax cables. "What the…"

"I'll set two cards facedown, and end my turn!"

"My turn, then! I don't know what that monster is, but I've already got a plan to eliminate it!" Shiho drew a card from his deck, and then pulled two cards from his hand. "I'll start with two cards facedown, also. Next, I'll summon my _Azurian Bailiff_ in Attack mode!"

Shiho: 4000 LP SPC 1-2  
Hack: 4000 LP SPC 1-2

"I'll have to activate the special effect of my _Coaxial Cable_!" Hack shouted as a card was ejected from her deck into her hand. "Don't worry, it won't stop the summoning of your precious Bailiff. But it does allow me to special summon a monster! Get ready, because I'm summoning my creature _Hack Bug \\\ Trojan_! And due to his special ability, he appears to your side of the field!"

"What?" Shiho was shocked. A level six monster erupted to his field, its 2600 attack dominating his Bailiff. He snickered. "Are you sure you're as good as you claim, Hack? You gave me a pretty powerful monster!"

"We'll see."

 _Hack's very determined that his defenses will hold out. Well, I'm not gonna let some punk little boy throw me off my game!_ " _Azurian Bailiff_ , attack _Hacker Component – Coaxial Cable_!"

"Not so fast! I activate my trap card _Backing Up_! By returning my _Hacker Component_ to my hand, I can negate your attack!"

"But that leaves you wide open! _Hack Bug \\\ Trojan_! Attack Hack directly!" Shiho watched as the digitized Trojan warrior drew his sword, and prepared to bear down on Hack. At the last second, it turned, and obliterated _Azurian Bailiff_ , showering Shiho with the holographic shards, the remains of his monster. "What?"

Shiho: 4000 LP-3000 LP

"When you declare an attack with my _Trojan_ , since I am the original owner, I can dictate its attack targets!" Hack snickered again. "Come on, the card is on your field! You should have taken the initiative and read it for yourself!"

"Grrr…"

"But no matter. When your turn ends, my _Trojan_ will be destroyed, as per the summoning conditions of my _Coaxial Cable_ 's effect!"

"But that leaves me wide open!" Shiho called as his monster was obliterated, sending pixilated bits in all directions.

"That's right, it does." Hack drew a card from her deck. "And it's my turn!"

Shiho: 3000 LP SPC 2-3  
Hack: 4000 LP SPC 2-3

"I'll re-summon my _Hacker Component – Coaxial Cable_! And using his special ability, I'll special summon my _Hack Bug \\\ Defalt_ from my deck!" Hack shouted as the card was ejected from her deck. "Luckily for you, I don't have a more powerful Hack Bug in my deck or a different Hacker Component, otherwise this duel would be all over! But with the Attack points I've amassed here, you'll be very nearly wiped out! My monsters, attack!"

Shiho watched as the whip-like coax cables of _Hacker Component – Coaxial Cable_ launched out and struck his Duel Runner. Next, the other creature, a mass of unintelligible pixels, launched straight at Shiho and smashed into him and his Duel Runner. "Agh!"

Shiho: 3000 LP-400 LP

"I'd give up now before it's too late, you puny Signer. There's no way you can defeat me!"

"We'll see!" Shiho drew a card. "My turn, which means your _Defalt_ is _toast_!"

Shiho: 400 LP SPC 3-4  
Hack: 4000 LP SPC 3-4

"I summon my _Azurian Clerk_ in Attack mode! And since I've summoned her in Attack mode, I can add one _Azurian_ monster to my hand, and I'm choosing _Azurian Prosecutor_!" Shiho added the card his deck ejected to his hand. "Next, I'll activate my Speed Spell _Speed Spell – Right to an Attorney_! At the cost of my four Speed Counters, I can change my _Clerk_ to Defense mode, and special summon the _Azurian Prosecutor_ in defense mode! Now that my two monsters are in defense mode, I gain benefits from each one!"

Shiho: 400 LP SPC 4-0

"You _what_?"

"That's right! My _Clerk_ allows me to add a spell card to my hand, and I'm choosing the Speed Spell _Speed Spell – Traffic Violation_!" Another card is ejected from Shiho's deck and into his hand. "And my _Prosecutor_ allows me to special summon a level 3 or lower Azurian monster from my hand, and I'm choosing my _Azurian Enforcer_ in defense mode! And with his special ability, defense mode is the mode you don't want him to be!"

"What do you mean?"

"When _Azurian Enforcer_ is in defense mode, I can increase his level by any number up to the total level of all other Azurian monsters I control! So I'll be transforming my monster to a level two, making him the perfect level for what I'm planning!"

"And what are you planning?"

"This!" Shiho thrust his hand forward as the two level stars of the _Azurian Clerk_ floated out as the _Clerk_ faded away. The stars flew up towards the other two monsters Shiho controlled, which had nestled together. As the two level stars of the _Clerk_ circled them, they became glowing green Synchro rings, as the color faded away from the two monsters within, leaving only an outline of each monster with their respective level stars. Eventually, the outlines faded away, leaving only a cluster of six level stars inside the Synchro rings. "Law. The defining force of out society. I summon forth a dragon who is Law Incarnate! All rise, for court is in session!"

Shiho drew his gavel and pounded it down on the zone where his monster's card would appear at. The six level stars aligned themselves in a straight line within the Synchro rings as a green light pierced through them, and then expanded to the innermost edge of the rings. "Synchro Summon! The Supreme Judge, _Justiciar Dragon_!"

"What dragon?" Hack watched as the light faded away, leaving behind a majestic dragon that roared, before glaring down at her and her monsters.

"My _Justiciar Dragon_ gains 500 attack for every WATER monster in my graveyard, and I'm counting 4!" Shiho shouted. "That means that my dragon's attack increases all the way to 4600!"

"No way!"

"Yes, way!" Shiho grinned. " _Justiciar Dragon_! Justice Wave attack! Destroy the _Coaxial Cable_!"

 _Justiciar Dragon_ opened its mouth and roared, a shockwave emerging. As it struck the _Coaxial Cable_ , it was obliterated. Hack screamed as the real damage of Shiho's dark miasma flowed throughout the battlefield, pounding into her small body.

Hack: 4000 LP-900 LP

"As you can see, Hack. I have no reason to quit this duel now."

"You don't know that you've done, you fool." Hack glared at him, her azure mark of the dragon glowing brightly. "Now I won't feel bad what happens to you."


	13. H4CKZ0R DR4G0N - B10-KN1GH7W1NG

H4CKZ0R DR4G0N – B10-KN1GH7W1NG

" _Justiciar Dragon_! Justice Wave attack! Destroy the _Coaxial Cable_!" _Justiciar Dragon_ opened its mouth and roared, a shockwave emerging. As it struck the _Coaxial Cable_ , it was obliterated. Hack screamed as the real damage of Shiho's dark miasma flowed throughout the battlefield, pounding into her small body.

Hack: 4000 LP-900 LP

"As you can see, Hack. I have no reason to quit this duel now."

"You don't know that you've done, you fool." Hack glared at him, her azure mark of the dragon glowing brightly. "Now I won't feel bad what happens to you."

"Bring it on, then!"

"I intend to!" Hack drew a card from her deck. "My turn!"

Shiho: 400 LP SPC 0-1  
Hack: 900 LP SPC 4-5

"I set one card facedown! Next, I'll summon one of my most versatile creatures, the _Hackzor Dragon_!" Hack's monster appeared to the field, growling, with the blue hue of Defense mode surrounding it. "And with that, I'll end my turn!"

"You were wise to summon that monster in defense mode! My turn!"

Shiho: 400 LP SPC 1-2  
Hack: 900 LP SPC 5-6

" _Justiciar Dragon_! Eradicate that dragon with Justice Wave attack!" As with before, _Justiciar Dragon_ roared, and the sheer power of its cry obliterated the _Hackzor Dragon_.

"Now you've done it."

"Done what?"

"Sealed your doom. My turn!"

Shiho: 400 LP SPC 2-3  
Hack: 900 LP SPC 6-7

"I activate my facedown trap card, _Hack Back_! This allows me to target one "Hack" monster in my Graveyard and special summon it, equipping this card to it!" Hack called as her Graveyard started glowing. "Think of it like the "Hack" version of _Call of the Haunted_! And I'm bringing back my _Hackzor Dragon_!"

"Big deal. I destroyed that monster once, I can do it again!"

"Not this time! See, I knew you'd immediately destroy my _Hackzor Dragon_! That's why I had this planned!" Hack pulled another card from her hand. "I summon the _White Hat Hacker_!"

" _White Hat Hacker_?" Shiho watched as a rather weak, white-hatted being appeared, armed with a laptop. "How's he going to help you?"

Hack smiled. "You'll see. Once per turn, when I normal summon or special summon a "Hack" monster, I can special summon another one from my hand! And the monster I'll be special summoning, is my _Black Hat Hacker_!"

Shiho watched as another monster appeared, dressed in solid black with a firearm and a smartphone. Over the intercom, Adachi's voice boomed into Shiho's ear. "Don't let this kid distract you. He's just a little punk!"

"I'm not gonna let him distract me!"

"I hope you guys realize," Hack interjected, "that I can hear you, and I'm a girl."

"You're a girl? You dress like a boy and you keep your hair under a sweater hood, there's no way to tell!" Shiho shouted.

"Did it ever occur to you that that was by design?"

"Huh. No, no it did not."

"That's what I thought." Hack snickered. "Boys."

"Get on with it!"

"Very well! When my _Black Hat Hacker_ is summoned to the field while I control a _White Hat Hacker_ , I can special summon my _Grey Hat Hacker_ from my deck! And now, with these three monsters assembled, I can begin the descent of your Dragon and the rest of your Life Points! I tune my level one _Grey Hat Hacker_ to my level one _Black Hat Hacker_ and _White Hat Hacker_ , as well as my level 4 _Hackzor Dragon_!"

Shiho watched as the single level star of the _Grey Hat Hacker_ flew out as it vanished, flying high into the sky as the other three monsters on Hack's field clustered together. A glowing green Synchro ring descended from where the level star was and surrounded the three monsters as they faded away, leaving six level stars. The level stars aligned in a straight line, as a bright green light pierces through all of them and expands to the innermost edge of the Synchro ring.

"Behold, as the might of technology meets with the dragons of old! Mythoi are the driving force of our lives, and now, let them fuse with the future! Synchro Summon!" The light faded away, leaving a dragon that has been fused with technology, the appearance of which almost seems like armor. "Appear, now, _Bio-Knightwing Dragon_!"

 _Bio-Knightwing Dragon is a level 7 EARTH attribute Dragon-type Synchro monster with 2200 Attack points and 0 Defense points._

" _Bio-Knightwing Dragon_? Agh!" Shiho looked down as his Azure Mark of the Dragon glowed in intensity. "So this is it. Your Signer Dragon!"

"Sure, let's go with that." Hack pulled a card from her hand. "I've summoned my monster in defense mode, just to be safe. But I'll be activating my dragon's special ability! I can discard this _Hack Bug \\\ Trojan_ from my hand in order to inflict damage to you equal to its level times 100!"

Adachi and Sasuke watched in shock as _Hack Bug \\\ Trojan_ appeared for a brief moment, before being absorbed into _Bio-Knightwing Dragon_. Shiho, however, was smiling. A strange power was surging throughout Hack's dragon, before a sound echoed through the track. "You've got mail!"

An explosion surrounded Shiho as Hack laughed. She had won, and there wasn't anything these so-called Azure Signers could do now! But as the smoke cleared, she realized she had thought prematurely.

Shiho: 100 LP

"What? How could you have possibly survived that?! My monster had a level of six, you should have taken six hundred damage!"

"You're right, I would have. If not for the timely activation of this trap card, the _Equipped with a Riot Shield_ trap card! This continuous trap allows me to half the damage I would take from a card effect once per turn as long as I control a WATER monster!" Shiho explained. "Thus, when your six-hundred-point email arrived, this card, this anti-virus, you could say, was here waiting, and reduced the damage I would take to three hundred, leaving me with one hundred live points!"

"Grr!" Hack pulled her final card from her hand. "I set one card facedown, and end my turn!"

"My move, then!" Shiho drew a card from his deck.

Shiho: 100 LP SPC 3-4  
Hack: 900 LP SPC 7-8

" _Justiciar Dragon_! Use Justice Wave to obliterate Hack's dragon!" _Justiciar Dragon_ opened its mouth and roared, the shockwave headed directly for _Bio-Knightwing Dragon_. Hack laughed.

"We'll see who's getting obliterated! I activate my trap card _Anti Anti-Virus_! This trap card allows me to target one Machine monster I control and either half all battle damage I take from this battle, or prevent it from being destroyed this battle! I'll choose the latter, since my monster is in defense mode and your monster does not deal piercing battle damage!"

The shockwave struck Hack's monster, but enhanced by the _Anti Anti-Virus_ , it was left undestroyed. "Fine."

Shiho glanced at the _Bio-Knightwing Dragon_ card on the screen. He looked down at his hand, and saw a card that would be just right. "Hmm. I'll set these two cards facedown, and end my turn."

 _He's at the ropes. If I draw a monster, I could end this now! Although… I could attempt to eradicate him with his own monster! I just need the right card…_ Hack thought to herself. _Here goes!_ "My turn! I draw!"

Shiho: 100 LP SPC 4-5  
Hack: 900 LP SPC 8-9

 _Perfect. This Speed Spell! This is exactly what I need!_ "I activate my spell card, _Speed Spell – Control, Alt, Delete_!"

" _Control, Alt, Delete_?"

"That's right! And with this spell card, I can do two things, all at the cost of eight speed counters total! First off, at the cost of six speed counters, I can make all monsters on the field Machine-type until the next End Phase!" Shiho watched in horror as his dragon cried out, its scales being replaced with metal. Soon, his dragon was a machine, however _Bio-Knightwing Dragon_ was unfazed. "Of course, my dragon is already considered part machine, so he's unaffected! Next, I can pay an additional two speed counters in order to special summon a monster from my Graveyard, and I'm choosing my _Hacker Component – Coaxial Cable_!"

Hack: 900 LP SPC 9-1

 _Here it comes!_ Shiho thought to himself. _If she takes the easy way out, this duel is done for me! But if she falls into my trap, I'll have her on the ropes!_

"Here goes! I tribute my _Coaxial Cable_ in order to use my _Bio-Knightwing Dragon_!" Hack called as her _Coaxial Cable_ disintegrated, the energy of it flying into her dragon. It started to glow, as a monitor on its chest started loading. Once the bar was full, waves of light exploded from the dragon. "Instead of inflicting you with damage, I came up with an even greater victory over you! When you control a Machine-type monster when I activate _Bio-Knightwing Dragon_ 's special ability, I can choose to take control of that monster!"

"What?!"

"That's right! Your _Justiciar Dragon_ is mine!" Hack laughed as _Justiciar Dragon_ 's eyes were filled with psychedelic lights as it floated from Shiho's field to Hack's. "Sure, my dragon can't attack this turn when I use any of its effects, but yours can. I may not have any WATER monsters in my Graveyard, but I do have a 2600 Attack beatstick with your name on it! _Justiciar Dragon_! Attack! Justice Wave!"

"Sorry to disappoint, Hack, but I've got a surprise up my sleeve!" Shiho activated one of his facedown cards. "I activate _Protective Custody_!"

" _Protective_ what?!"

"My _Protective Custody_ can only be activated when you control a WATER monster that I am the original owner of! It allows me to regain control of that monster," Shiho continued, "and switch it into Defense mode!"

"No way!" Hack watched as _Justiciar Dragon_ , once again, changed sides of the field, this time switching into Defense mode. "So you're telling me that you were planning on me taking your monster to win?"

"It was a gamble, all right. If you had used your _Bio-Knightwing Dragon_ 's special ability to inflict damage to me, it would have been all over." Shiho admitted. "But even you couldn't pass up the opportunity to deal the most amount of damage, and now that my dragon is back on my field, he has 4600 attack once again!"

"Not that it matters, he's in defense mode!"

"We'll see. My turn! Draw!" Shiho drew a card from his deck.

Shiho: 100 LP SPC 5-6  
Hack: 900 LP SPC 1-2

"It's all over, Hack!"

"I don't think so!"

"Yeah, but I do! Activate facedown trap card!" Shiho called as his card activated. " _Zero Gravity_!"

" _Zero Gravity_? But with that, you could…"

"Change the battle positions of all the monsters on the field? You're goddamn right I can!" Shiho called. "Sure, it's not an "Azurian" card, but it works perfectly in this deck. And now our monsters are switched into Attack mode!"

"No!"

" _Justiciar Dragon_! Use your Liberty Flame to obliterate Hack's _Bio-Knightwing Dragon_!" _Justiciar Dragon_ roared in agreement, as it opened its still metallic mouth. Golden flames blasted out like water in a water fountain, and they enveloped _Bio-Knightwing Dragon_. It cried in protest before being destroyed, smashing Hack for 2400 points of real damage, causing her to scream in pain.

Hack: 900 LP-0 LP

As her Life Points reached zero, the dark miasma that struck her began to take hold, filling her body with the dark energy. In a moment, she had been infused with darkness, and was now the ally of the Azure Signers. Shiho and Hack brought their Duel Runners to a halt, and she looked over to him.

"What do we do now, Shiho? You have gathered us. The four Azure Signers." Shiho nodded and looked over to Adachi and Sasuke, who had just arrived. He looked back to Hack.

"I think it's time we start our battle with the Crimson Dragon."


	14. End of the Road - The Final Recap

_End of the Road – The Final Recap_

 _Previously…_

 _Shiho Bengo was once a good friend of Mateo Yurigaya, before the Darkness happened. Locked in a battle with Anya, the dark entity that lead the Dark Forces that were after Mateo. In the final duel, she summoned her ace monster,_ Frelt, the Ender of Lives _, which, in anticipation of Anya's potential loss, sent a wave of Darkness at Shiho, who was standing in the stands. This granted him a dark power called the Dark Miasma, a shadow that envelopes Signers that lose and corrupt them to the cause of the Darkness. It also causes real damage. Shiho found a way to leave the Duel Arena mid-duel, and did not see Mateo's victory against Anya with his newly discovered Signer Dragon,_ Shining Dragon – The Revelation _._

 _He received a text message from Adachi Hatazo, requesting he meet him, and there they had a duel. Both Shiho and Adachi summoned_ Majestic _versions of their Signer Dragons,_ Justiciar Dragon _and_ Legion Armor Dragon _, and with these monsters, Shiho won, reclaiming the memories that had been stolen from him by Adachi at the request of his Master of the Dark, the Azure Dragon. His Dark Miasma corrupting Adachi, Shiho had found the first of the three other Azure Signers._

 _After a duel with Mateo in a warehouse while on the hunt for his fellow Signers, Mateo is left hanging by his Duel Disk when Shiho's Dark Miasma caused the walkway he was standing on to collapse. Shiho showed that he still had Light in his heart by letting Mateo live, and by deciding not to defeat him in the duel, abandoning him in the warehouse with only a promise that the Crimson Signers would be called._

 _Shiho then proceeded to leave the city and find Sasuke Rōdōsha, who was an Azure Signer who had previously been an Astronaut that was thought to be dead, Sasuke Todou. He was the wielder of the Aeronaut cards, remnants of an ancient civilization on another planet transformed into Duel Monsters cards. After an intense duel with him, Shiho came out on top, and brought Rōdōsha to his side._

 _Meanwhile, Leo and Crow visited the facility to meet with Jet and Depp, the bounty hunters that tried to capture Mateo and Shiho a few months previous, while Akiza and Jack visited the warehouse where Mateo was found in with Security Director Trudge, looking for evidence that would help them find Shiho and Adachi._

 _After returning to the city, Shiho, Adachi, and Sasuke made camp in another abandoned warehouse in the edge of the city. Illeya returned to this dimension and spoke to Mateo, asking if he would allow her to possess him in order to challenge Shiho herself, to which he agreed. After an intense duel, Illeya prepared for a finishing blow with her powerful_ Archangel Gabrius _, when a wave passed through all of the cards on the field, and her monster was erased. Shiho attacked her and defeated her, causing her to be temporarily dispersed, although her sacrifice prevented Mateo from being corruted. Sasuke analyzed the duel data, and discovered that the deletion of_ Archangel Gabrius _was the work of Hack Kuroe. They set out to discover why._

 _Upon discovering Hack, they discover that she is the final Azure Signer, and that she took a gamble at who was looking for her and that she had guessed wrong. Shiho challenged her to a duel, and discovered that her preferred monsters were the_ Hack _monsters, and with them, she put him on the ropes at 400 Life Points rapidly. After a brief comeback by summoning his Signer Dragon, the duel seemed over when Hack summoned her own Signer Dragon, the_ Bio-Knightwing Dragon _. Thanks to some swift moves by Shiho, he managed to leave her dragon wide open to attack after reclaiming his own from her after she briefly took control of it. With Hack defeated and corrupted into being one of the servants of the Darkness, Shiho decided that they are nearly ready to eradicate the Crimson Signers…_


	15. The Convergence

The Convergence

The large metal door slid open, and Mateo stepped through it, flanked by Yusei and Trudge. They approached the side-by-side cells of Jet and Depp. Their time in the Facility had not been good for them. Jet sat on his bed making airplane sounds with his mouth as he waved a toy airplane around. Depp had filled the sink in his cell with water and had a toy submarine that he kept pulling out of the water and resubmerging. Mateo looked back at Yusei and Trudge, before stepping forward and clearing his throat. "Gentlemen."

Depp looked up from his sink and smiled. He pulled his hands out of the water and dried them on his orange Facility jumpsuit. "Lookie here, Jet! Our old friend Yurigaya is here!"

"What, no inaccurate pirate imitations?"

"When you've spent six months in a jail cell made of reinforced clear steel with only Depp for company, you learn really fast that that is really annoying." Jet replied. "Why are you here?"

"A few weeks ago, two boys by the name of Crow and Leo came to see you two here. They were wondering if you would tell us how you managed to find Shiho and I." Mateo explained. "You told them that you would need a while to decide."

"And?"

"It's been three weeks." Trudge said. "The stake of New Domino City is at stake here! If we can't find Shiho Bengo, he's gonna start attacking people, including the Signers, here!"

"I came personally this time. I need to know this information, guys." Mateo sighed. "Without this method, we can't do what we do and save the city."

Depp and Jet looked at each other through the gaps in their cells, and looked back to Mateo. "We will tell you. But in exchange, we want our sentences cut in half."

"You're already serving three life sentences with no chance of parole, each!" Trudge exclaimed. "But here's what we can do. If you tell us how to track Shiho Bengo, I will personally request you be removed from your near-solitary confinement. We can have you put upstairs with the less violent criminals, but only if you swear to be on your best behavior."

Depp and Jet looked at each other again, and nodded. They turned back to Trudge. "Deal!"

Shiho shuffled his deck for a fourth time. He was feeling apprehensive. He could hear Sasuke approach on the other side of the door. That money Hack just stolen got them off the grid for a bit by pulling them out of warehouses and into a nice hotel room. But it wouldn't be long now until the battle with the Signers would be upon him. They had to be ready. Sasuke knocked on the door. "Enter."

Sasuke walked in, and closed the door. "Mateo is somewhere you're not gonna believe."

Shiho turned and faced him.

"That's it?"

"That's it." Depp replied. "You Signers send off different energy types. Each type of Signer sends off a different type."

"The last satellite launch was put up by my cousin Aeron's company. I slipped him a quarter million dollars, and he had the satellite equipped with a sensor designed to detect these types of signals." Jet added. "Provided satellite 76-5P8 hasn't been brought down by the Rocket Co., the sensor should still be there. And it should get you close, a block apart at the most."

"Trudge, is 76-5P8 still in orbit?" Yusei asked.

"I can't be sure. We'd have to get in contact with Rocket Co.."

"Let's do it, then." Yusei, Mateo, and Trudge turned, and started to leave, but Jet knocked on the wall of his cell and made a metallic ring echo through the room.

"What?!"

"Don't forget to put in for our transfer." Trudge sighed as Dep said this. He held out his hand, and a guard handed him a tablet. He typed a few keys on the tablet, and handed it back to the guard.

"There. Request of transfer sent."

"Thank you, Director Trudge."

"Yeah, yeah." Trudge turned, and walked out, Mateo and Yusei in pursuit.

"He was talking to Jet and Depp?" Shiho asked. He snickered. "Man, Mateo must be getting desperate."

"Who are Jet and Depp?"

"Oh, they're these bounty hunters who tried to capture us about six or seven months ago. Somehow, they managed to track us to where we were on the Duel Tracks, and challenged us to a duel. Mateo used _Red Nova Dragon_ and _Majestic Star Dragon_ to defeat Depp and Jet respectively."

"Do you think they're planning on getting intel from them in order to find us?" Hack asked. Shiho sighed.

"That's the only reason I can think of for why he'd go to them."

"So what are we going to do?"

"Hide in plain sight. Mateo's never seen you two, and you can keep him off Adachi's trail. Go into hiding for a bit." Shiho picked his deck up. "I'll take care of Yurigaya."

"What do you think you're gonna find when you find Shiho?"

"I have no idea. All I know is that we have to stop him before he can destroy everything."

"Hopefully he hasn't finished finding the Signers of the Azure Dragon." Yusei replied. "But since we don't know anything about it other than it is a rival of the Crimson Dragon, we don't know how many Signers there are for it."

"Mmhm. We'll need to work quickly. I know he defeated Adachi in a duel, which means there is at least one Azure Signer on his side."

"Hopefully that satellite is still in orbit." Yusei said as Trudge hung up the phone. He approached them.

"I've got good news and bad news." He explained. "The good news is that satellite 76-5P8 is still in orbit, and will be passing over New Domino City soon. The bad news is that it's coming down in a day. If we don't locate them now, we may not get a chance to, again."

"Then let's do this." Yusei approached a computer and started clicking away at the buttons, hacking into the satellite system. He located and selected 76-5P8 and brought up the specs. He selected the sensor, and it brought up an image of New Domino City. There was a large red mass around the area where Yusei's garage should be, as well as a couple of blue dots in the district where the Facility was located. But in the middle of the city was a large blue blob. Yusei zoomed in on that location, and narrowed it down to one of two buildings. "He's either in this hotel, the Sunnybrook, or this one, the Relaxing Fortress."

"Those are some of the strangest names I've ever heard for hotels."

"This city is full of weird stuff like that."

"Well anyways, we should get to it." Mateo pulled his coat on, and checked his Deck box to make sure his deck was there. "We've got a city to save."

The door to the rooftop of the Relaxing Fortress swung open and hit the wall with a metallic clunk. Mateo stepped onto the roof and looked around, Yusei and Trudge in pursuit. Mateo saw that Shiho wasn't on the roof, but he saw a person standing in the center of the hotel across the street, the Sunnybrook. He took a couple steps forward, when his phone started to ring. He answered it. "Shiho?"

"Very good." Shiho replied. "So. You found me."

Mateo noticed that the person on the other side of the street on the Sunnybrook was also on his phone. He was dressed like Shiho. "Looks that way."

"I hear you had the help of Jet and Depp. How'd they manage to find me?"

"Turns out we give off energy." Mateo answered. "They simply tracked it."

"Interesting."

"I'd like to talk with you about it, further, but something tells me you don't want to talk."

"That would be a correct assumption."

"Where's your friend Adachi?"

"He's with the others."

"Others?"

"The other two Azure Signers. That's right. I got to them first."

"It's not too late to stop this, Shiho."

"Of course it is! When I defeat you, you'll die, and then the Signers will be in disarray! There will be no way your side could defeat us!"

"We'll see." Mateo looked down at his watch. "If this duel has to happen, then let's bring it on in style. Meet me at the Duel Stadium in half an hour."

"I can meet you there in ten minutes."

"Be there in ten if you want, then. I won't be there until 5."

"Very well then." Shiho hung up the phone before Mateo could say anything else. He turned back to Yusei and Trudge as Shiho walked off the other rooftop.

"I'm going to have one of the most challenging duels ever." He said. "Will you stand by my side?"

"We all will." Yusei answered. "Go give him hell."


	16. Lawsuit

Lawsuit

"Five o'clock on the dot." Shiho looked up from his watch as the sound of a Duel Runner started echoing through the Duel Stadium. Mateo raced in, and braked to a halt right next to Shiho and his own Duel Runner. They looked at each other for a moment. "You arrived exactly when you said you would."

"I try to be punctual." Mateo lifted his Deck, and Shiho did the same. "Are you sure this is the only way to resolve this? We could just talk."

"NO! We're done talking." Shiho inserted his Deck into the deck slot of his wrist dealer. The sound of his deck shuffling echoed through the stadium as footsteps could be heard in the entranceway. Mateo looked over as Yusei, Jack, Crow, and the others stepped into the arena. He nodded to them, and Yusei nodded back.

"Fine." Mateo put his own deck into his wrist dealer, which shuffled. He revved his engine. "Let's do this."

Shiho smirked as he revved his own Duel Runner's engine. They pulled up to the starting line as the counter materialized. Both Mateo and Shiho pressed buttons on the Duel Runners as a wave of light spread off both of their Duel Runners. "Duel mode engaged. Autopilot standing by. Activating the _Speed World 3_ field spell."

The counter began to count down. As soon as it reached the start signal, Mateo and Shiho sped down the track, the turbo duel beginning. "Let's Duel!"

Mateo: 4000 LP SPC 0  
Shiho: 4000 LP SPC 0

"I'll take the first move!" Mateo drew a card from his deck. "Draw!"

Mateo: 4000 LP SPC 0-1  
Shiho: 4000 LP SPC 0-1

"I summon _Hunter Dragon_ in attack mode!" Mateo's monster roared as it erupted to the field, gliding just behind Mateo above the track. "I'll end off my turn with three cards facedown!"

"It's my turn, then! Draw!"

Mateo: 4000 LP SPC 1-2  
Shiho: 4000 LP SPC 1-2

"I summon _Azurian Juror_ in attack mode!" Shiho's monster appeared, sitting alone in a juror's stand. "So long as my monster is in attack mode, he cannot be selected as an attack target! And since he is the only monster I control, that means you can't attack me at all! Finally, I'll set two cards facedown, and end my turn!"

"I'm up again, then, eh?" Mateo drew a card from his deck. "This is where you've made your first mistake, Shiho! Assuming I can't make a move when you've only got one monster on the field is a poor way to conduct yourself!"

Mateo: 4000 LP SPC 2-3  
Shiho: 4000 LP SPC 2-3

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah!" Mateo declared. "And I'll prove it! I'm activating my facedown trap card! _Dracoalesce_! I can discard one Dragon-type monster in my hand and tribute one from my field in order to special summon one Synchro monster from my Extra Deck! So by discarding the _Luster Dragon_ from my hand and tributing the _Hunter Dragon_ on my field, I can cause my _Black Rose Dragon_ to coalesce to the field! Now bloom, _Black Rose Dragon_!"

 _Luster Dragon_ appeared to the field for a brief moment, before both monsters were enveloped in a large rose. As the petals blew away in the wind, the monster left behind was the _Black Rose Dragon_. Mateo held up his index and middle fingers as the card materialized between them. "And that's not all! Because I'm summoning the _White Stone of Legend_! This level one tuner monster won't be staying on the field for long, though, because I'm tuning it to my level seven _Black Rose Dragon_!

"Clustering starlight, flow, and give form to this mighty creature! Illuminate the path of destiny!" The single level star of the _White Stone of Legend_ glowed as the rest of it vanished. The star flew over to the _Black Rose Dragon_ and wrapped around it, creating a shimmering green Synchro ring. _Black Rose Dragon_ roared softly as it faded away, leaving only its seven level stars. The stars twisted until they aligned themselves in a straight line. A green light pierced them all before expanding to the innermost edge of the rings. Mateo held up his hand as a glowing rectangle of light appeared, which he gripped. The card stopped glowing as it took form as _Stardust Dragon_. "Synchro Summon! Take flight, _Stardust Dragon_!"

With a roar, the blue and white creature erupted to the field. It glared at _Azurian Juror_ , and took up a battle stance. Shiho began to laugh. "Ha ha ha! All of that, but only to summon _Stardust_? Powerful as he may be, there's no way he can attack my monster!"

"Not quite! I activate a Speed Spell!"

"A Speed Spell?"

"That's right! Let's go, _Speed Spell – Attack Barricade_!" Mateo called as he activated the second-last card from his hand. "Think of this like _Block Attack_ to _Stop Defense_. When I have 2 or more Speed Counters, I can target one monster in attack mode and switch it into defense mode! So I'll switch the _Azurian Juror_ to defense mode! And when he's in defense mode, his special ability changes! And with his effect changing, that means that now he is the ONLY monster you control that I can attack! Now go, _Stardust Dragon_! Shooting Sonic!"

Shiho growled as _Stardust Dragon_ reared its head back. When it brought it forward again, shimmering energy blasted from its mouth, vaporizing the _Azurian Juror_. "And with that, I'll end my turn, now that your field has been left wide open."

"All you've done is temporarily delayed the inevitable! It's my turn! Draw!"

Mateo: 4000 LP SPC 3-4  
Shiho: 4000 LP SPC 3-4

"I summon _Azurian Prosecutor_ in Defense mode! And when my _Prosecutor_ is in defense mode, I can special summon a level 3 or lower "Azurian" monster from my deck!" Shiho reached over to his deck as it shuffled, a card being ejected from the top. "I summon _Azurian Enforcer_! And there's more where that came from!"

Shiho pressed a button on his Duel Disk as his monster appeared in attack mode. The card he had set facedown flipped and activated. "I use _Speed Spell – Right to an Attorney_! At the cost of all four of my Speed Counters, I can special summon a level 4 or lower "Azurian" monster from my hand or Graveyard, and I'm choosing my level 2 _Azurian Clerk_ by changing my _Enforcer_ into defense mode!"

 _A third monster! This could be a problem._ Enforcer _allows Shiho to change its level based on the combined levels of all other_ Azurian _monsters on the field, and if he does it the way I think he will…_ Mateo gulped. Justiciar Dragon _will be on the field by the End Phase._ _If his goal is to end this duel quickly, then he'll find a way to summon another monster. That's how my plan will work. But only if._

"Now I summon _Captain Azure_!" Shiho slapped his card onto the monster zone of his Duel field. "When I control two or more "Azurian" monsters, all of which in the same position, I can special summon _Captain Azure_ from my hand in the opposite position! And since all of my "Azurian" monsters are in Defense mode, I can summon him in Attack mode! And now, time for these three "Azurian" monsters to say sayonara in order to make way for my most powerful creature! I tune level two _Azurian Enforcer_ and level four _Azurian Prosecutor_ with my level two _Azurian Clerk_!

"Law. The defining force of our society. I summon forth a dragon who is Law Incarnate! So all rise, for court is in session!" The two level stars of the _Clerk_ flew out and created glimmering green Synchro rings around the other two monsters as they faded into nothingness, only their combined six level stars remaining. The stars re-aligned themselves into a straight line as a green light pierced through them all and expanded to the innermost edge of the two rings. Shiho held up his gavel and pounded it down on the monster zone where his monster was being summoned. "Synchro Summon! The Supreme Judge, _Justiciar Dragon_!"

Mateo looked up as the green light faded, and Shiho's mighty monster appeared to the field. Shiho started laughing. "I've got this duel won already!"

"I don't know about that, Shiho. Sure, your dragon gains five hundred attack for each of the four WATER monsters in your Graveyard, but that only brings him up to 4600 Attack! Which means that even if you destroy my _Stardust Dragon_ ," Mateo explained, " _Captain Azure_ doesn't have enough Attack points to wipe me out!"

"Doesn't he?"

"What?"

"When _Captain Azure_ is the only _Azurian_ monster on the field, he gains 200 attack for each of his levels!" Shiho replied. "During each End Phase, he gains one additional level, but currently, he is level 4 with eleven hundred original Attack points!"

"Oh, no!"

"Oh, yes! That means that my _Captain Azure_ gains eight hundred attack points, putting him up to nineteen hundred attack!" Shiho thrust his hand forward. " _Justiciar Dragon_! Attack _Stardust Dragon_ with Liberty Flame!"

Mateo looked up as _Justiciar Dragon_ breathed blue fire on his _Stardust_. In a moment, he was eradicated as a shockwave of real energy smashed into him. "Eeergh!"

Mateo: 4000 LP-1900 LP

"Oh, no, Mateo!" Luna called, but Yusei put his hand on her shoulder.

"Don't worry about him too much, Luna." He said. "He's got this duel completely under control right now."

"Are you sure?"

"Mateo probably knew that Shiho would summon _Justiciar_. He may have also planned on him summoning _Captain Azure_." Jack explained. "He's putting on a show for Shiho, making it look like Shiho's won already. Be Mateo's not going down this turn."

Lune turned back to the duel on the track. _I sure hope you guys are right about that._

" _Captain Azure_! Attack Mateo directly with Azure Night Baton! And this once and for all!" Shiho watched with anticipation as _Captain Azure_ drew his nightstick and launched at Mateo in a full vorpal strike. _This is it! I've beaten Mateo Yurigaya! If I can beat him… I can beat anybody!_

"Sorry to say, Shiho, but I'd like to keep my life today."

"Fat chance of that!"

"We'll see!" Mateo called as _Stardust Dragon_ erupted to the field again, warding off _Captain Azure_.

"How could you summon _Stardust_ back to the field on my turn? Unless… Perhaps you used _Call of the Haunted_? But no matter, your Life Points are less than half, and…" Shiho looked down at the Life Point counter, and noticed Mateo's Life Points.

Mateo: 4000 LP

"How can this be? I know I attacked and dealt 2100 damage to you? You must have cheated!"

"No cheats, Shiho. Just skill, coupled with some very old cards!" Mateo called as his trap card appeared, already activated. "I'm surprised you didn't notice me activate this trap card. Or were you so focused on your false hope of winning this turn that you failed to notice what happened around you?"

"Grrr…"

"I used my _Mirage Ruler_ trap card! When I activate this trap card, it transforms my field into a mirage, keeping an exact duplicate of each of the cards on my field as the top layer!" Mateo explained. "As my field changes, the mirages change to copy the changes that occur, but the mirages remember. And when I get targeted for a direct attack, I can send my _Mirage Ruler_ trap card to the Graveyard! Then I can negate that attack, and special summon all monsters that were destroyed in battle and sent to the Graveyard, and I regain the damage I took! After all of that, I have to pay 1000 Life Points, but it's a small price to pay!"

Mateo: 4000 LP-3000 LP

"That was an interesting trick, Mateo, but I've still got the upper hand!"

"We'll see, Shiho!" Mateo drew a card from his deck. "I vow this duel to show you my true power. But first I'll force you to see those you have destroyed in your quest for ultimate power! I set one card facedown, and I'll summon the _Maiden with Eyes of Blue_!"

Mateo: 3000 LP SPC 4-5  
Shiho: 4000 LP SPC 0-1

"Just what are you planning? That won't allow you to summon _Azure-Eyes Silver Dragon_ , because _Stardust Dragon_ is not a Normal Dragon-type! Unless…"

"Unless _Azure-Eyes_ isn't my intention at all! I'm tuning the level one _Maiden with Eyes of Blue_ to the level eight _Stardust Dragon_!" The single level star of the _Maiden_ flew out and circled _Stardust_ in a glimmering green Synchro ring. _Stardust_ faded away with a roar, leaving its eight stars behind, which re-aligned themselves in a straight line as a green light pierced through them all and expanded to the innermost edge of the Synchro ring. Mateo held a card up, as the green light enveloped the Stadium. "Illuminate the path of destiny! Descend from the Heavens, _Archangel Gabrius_!"

" _Archangel Gabrius_?!"

"What the hell is an _Archangel Gabrius_?" Crow asked.

"It's Illeya's most powerful monster." Luna whispered.

"That was the card left behind when I destroyed that ridiculous Illeya?!"

"She poured her heart and soul into that duel, and sacrificed a lot in order to prevent me from being lost to your foul corruption, Shiho!" Mateo replied as _Archangel Gabrius_ drew its mighty Archangel Sword. "And allow me to show you how I'll do that! _Archangel Gabrius_! Attack _Captain Azure_ with your Archangel Blade!"


	17. The Ties that Bind

The Ties That Bind

" _Archangel Gabrius_ , attack _Captain Azure_!" Mateo called as Illeya's mighty monster drew his sword. "Archangel Blade!"

With one swift strike, _Captain Azure_ was no more. "Urgh!"

Shiho: 4000 LP-3100 LP

"Do you really think you can torment me with that pitiful Archangel? That ridiculous emissary of Light, Illeya tried to use it on me, and she failed to win." Shiho drew a card from his deck. "This duel will be no different!"

Mateo: 3000 LP SPC 5-6  
Shiho: 3100 LP SPC 1-2

" _Justiciar Dragon_! Attack _Archangel Gabrius_ with Justice Wave!" Shiho laughed as his dragon opened its mouth, roaring. A shockwave exploded through the stadium, and Mateo struggled, reaching forward, trying to press a button before it was too late. He clicked the button, just in time.

"I activate the _Waboku_ trap card! This turn, none of the monsters I control can be destroyed, and I take no battle damage!" Mateo sighed in relief as the shockwave of _Justiciar Dragon_ 's attack faded away. _I have to be careful. His dark miasma gives him the ability to inflict real damage to the world around him, and it could do some real damage to this track, especially since the city just finished rebuilding it._

"My turn!" Mateo drew a card from his deck. "There's no way for my monster to beat yours, but at least there's a way for it to withstand your assault!"

Mateo: 3000 LP SPC 6-7  
Shiho: 3100 LP SPC 2-3

"I play Speed Spell – _Pot of Greed_ , which allows me to draw two cards at the cost of four Speed Counters!"

Mateo: 3000 LP SPC 7-3

"I'll set this card facedown! Next, I summon another _White Stone of Legend_ in defense mode!"

"You're keeping yourself in a dangerous position by keeping your hand empty, Yurigaya!" Shiho drew the top card of his deck. "My turn! Draw!"

Mateo: 3000 LP SPC 3-4  
Shiho: 3100 LP SPC 3-4

"I'll start this turn by setting one card facedown! _Justiciar Dragon_! Attack _Archangel Gabrius_ with Justice Wave!" Mateo and Shiho looked up as _Justiciar Dragon_ prepared to roar, sending out its deadly shockwave. Suddenly, a louder roar pierced through the stadium, and _Justiciar Dragon_ backed away from _Archangel Gabrius_. "What are you doing! Destroy his monster!"

"Sorry to say, Shiho, but your _Justiciar Dragon_ won't be making an attack at all this turn!"

"Huh?"

"I activated my _Threatening Roar_ just before you entered your Battle Phase! The fear-inducing roars of the dragons in my deck caused your dragon to back down!" Mateo replied. "And now that you're finished, it's my turn! Draw!"

Mateo: 3000 LP SPC 4-5  
Shiho: 3100 LP SPC 4-5

"You are filled with so much rage, Shiho. But I know how I can make you see the light!"

"It better be one damn good monster, cause so far I'm pretty unimpressed."

"Looks like its time for your to get your head in the game! I'm activating my facedown spell card, _Speed Spell – One for One_! By removing four Speed Counters and discarding one monster, I can special summon a level one monster from my hand or my deck!" Mateo pulled the last card from his hand. "So I'll pay four Speed Counters and discard this _Level Burst Dragon_ that I've got here in my hand, in order to special summon _Stardust Xiaolong_ from my deck!"

Mateo: 3000 LP SPC 5-1

Mateo's monster appeared to the field and growled defiantly, causing Shiho to laugh. "What the hell do you plan to do with that _Stardust Xiaolong_? Sure he can take a hit from an attack, but that means nothing compared to my monster!"

"We'll see!" Mateo called as glowing light bathed _Archangel Gabrius_ from Mateo's Graveyard. "You see, when _Level Burst Dragon_ is sent to the Graveyard for any means other than by battle, I can target one monster on the field and increase its level by 1! Which means my _Archangel Gabrius_ has now become a level 10 monster!"

"So you've got a level ten monster. So what?"

"This!" Mateo revved his Duel Runner and blasted past Shiho. "I tune my level one _Maiden with Eyes of Blue_ to my level one _Stardust Xiaolong_! The light of the… No… MY future wavers! And when the past threatens the future, the might of all must gather to weave them together again! Illuminate the path of destiny! Synchro Summon!"

The single level star of the _Maiden with Eyes of Blue_ shot out of her as she faded away, as the _Stardust Xiaolong_ flew close by. The star created a glimmering green Synchro ring that surrounded the small dragon as it faded away, its single level star held in the center of the ring as a green light pierced through it and expanded to the innermost edge of the Synchro ring. Mateo held up his hand as his _Formula Synchron_ appeared between his fingers. "Accelerate, my Synchro Tuner, _Formula Synchron_!"

" _Formula Synchron_?!" Shiho asked, panicked. "That can't be right! Without _Stardust Dragon_ , what do you plan on summoning?"

"Mateo's got everything he needs to summon his most powerful monster!" Luna gasped. Yusei nodded, as the Signers watched intently, ready to watch their friend save Shiho.

"Are you ready for this, Shiho?"

"What?"

"First off, my _Formula Synchron_ allows me to draw a card from my deck when he is Synchro summoned!" Mateo called as he drew a card from his deck. He accelerated even faster, as he closed his eyes, drawing strength from his friends and the Crimson Dragon. His Mark of the Dragon started to glow a bright red, as did the rest of the Signers' in the stands. Even Shiho's started to glow a vibrant blue color.

"What are you doing, Yurigaya?" Shiho demanded as Mateo accelerated still faster, increasing to a speed where everything was tinged with pink and purple around him.

"Clear Mind! I'm tuning my level two _Formula Synchron_ to my level 10 _Archangel Gabrius_!" Mateo extended his hand forward as _Formula Synchron_ vanished, becoming its two Level stars which flew forward and created glowing green Synchro Rings in the distance. _Archangel Gabrius_ tucked his mighty wings in and descended until he was just above the ground in front of Mateo. "Light and ideals. Clash together and become the true embodiment of hope! Illuminate the path of destiny!"

Mateo drew the blank card from his Extra Deck and turned it over, a bright light causing the image of a monster to appear on the card. "Accel-Synchro!"

Mateo passed through the Synchro Rings with _Archangel Gabrius_ , and vanished in an explosion of light. Shiho looked shocked as he looked around the Duel Stadium. "Where… Where did he go?"

A green light started to expand behind him as Mateo exploded out of it on his own. The light increased in size as Mateo finished his chant. "Reverberate! _Shining Dragon – The Revelation_!"

"What in the hell..?"

"You were absent from the finale with my duel with Anya!" Mateo explained. "You never had the pleasure of seeing this monster in action!"

"My dragon has fourty-six hundred attack because you sent my _Captain Azure_ to my Graveyard, Mateo! Your monster is one hundred attack short of being able to defeat mine!"

"Don't be so sure! My dragon also gains 500 attack for monsters in the Graveyard, but in his case, it's for each one in my Graveyard!" Mateo replied. "And by my count, there is eight dragons, meaning my dragon gains four thousand attack!"

 _Shining Dragon – The Revelation_ : 4500 ATK + 4000 = 8500 ATK

"But… But that means…"

"Shiho, I'm going to give you one last chance to stop this!"

"Never! You'll have to take me down kicking and screaming!"

"If you insist…" Mateo collected himself, and prepared to let his attack launch. From his position in front of Shiho, he couldn't see Shiho's mischievous smile. " _Shining Dragon – The Revelation_! Attack _Justiciar Dragon_ with Shining Lightning Blast!"

At the stands, Yusei noticed the smile across Shiho's face. He grabbed the intercom. "Mateo, wait!"

 _Shining Dragon – The Revelation_ opened its mouth and blasted lightning at Shiho's dragon. As soon as the blast impacted, the dragon roared in pain as blinding white light coursed through his body. Shiho pulled a card from his hand and activated it just before the energy could pass from his dragon and into himself. "I activate _Speed Spell – Return Fire!_! Normally, I would have to set this card and activate it at the cost of all of my Speed Counters in order to use it, but when I take damage of three thousand or more, I can activate it from my hand on either player's turn! It halves the damage I take, and you take the other half, all without cost!"

"What?" Mateo jaw dropped as the white energy from his dragon's attack blasted at both Shiho and Mateo, causing extreme pain to course through all of them. "AUGH!"

Mateo: 3000LP-1050 LP  
Shiho: 3100 LP-1150 LP

Shiho grunted weakly as the pain subsided. "And luckily for me, _Justiciar Dragon_ cannot be destroyed by battle, and therefore he cannot be stopped by the likes of you! And on my turn… On my turn I have everything I need to win this duel!"


	18. Water Under the Bridge

Water Under the Bridge

"You've played a valiant duel, my friend." Mateo remarked as the smoke cleared. "Not even Anya stood a chance against the might of _Shining Dragon – The Revelation_!"

"That's because the power of the Azure Dragon is so much more powerful than Anya ever was!" Shiho replied. "Not even Illeya could stand a chance at defeating me! What makes you think you, some protégé of the Light, could ever stand a chance against me?"

"Talk like that, and I'll show you exactly how!" Mateo countered. _If you continue down this path, Shiho… If you continue to tap into the darkness into your soul, you'll be lost to us forever! And I can't let that happen._

"Well, shall we continue?"

Shiho: 1150 LP SPC 5

"Bring it on, Shiho. I'll show you the power my dragon possesses!"

Mateo: 1050 LP SPC 1

"Then it's my turn!" Shiho drew a card from his deck. "Draw!"

Mateo: 1050 LP SPC 1-2  
Shiho: 1150 LP SPC 5-6

"Let's start this turn off with a bit of a reset!" Shiho smirked as he activated his card. "I activate _Speed Spell – Ocean Barricade_! At the cost of six Speed Counters and by switching all WATER monsters on my field to defense mode until the end of my next turn, both players can draw three cards!"

Shiho: 1150 LP SPC 6-0

"And now I set two cards facedown! With these facedown cards, I'll seal your fate!"

"We'll have to see about that! My turn!"

Mateo: 1050 LP SPC 2-3  
Shiho: 1150 LP SPC 0-1

 _So long as he controls_ Justiciar Dragon _in defense mode, Shiho's untouchable! It can't be destroyed in battle, which means I'll have to try to defeat it with other means!_ Mateo looked down at his cards. "I summon _Dragonic Synchron_ in defense mode!"

"I've seen this tactic before. As soon as I destroy _Dragonic Synchron_ , you summon a monster from your deck or graveyard that is level four or lower." Shiho noted. "And as soon as you use it to Synchro Summon a monster, that monster will automatically gain 800 original attack points."

"That's right!"

"An interesting tactic. But it won't save you."

"We'll just see, Shiho." Mateo replied. "Since your _Ocean Barricade_ spell card is keeping _Justiciar Dragon_ locked into defense mode until the end of your next turn, this gives me the perfect opportunity to attempt a counter attack! To that end, I'll set this card facedown!"

"It's my turn!"

Mateo: 1050 LP SPC 3-4  
Shiho: 1150 LP SPC 1-2

"Damn. Nothing I can use to destroy your monster!" Shiho growled. "I'll end my turn!"

"My turn, then! And I'm summoning the monster _Bright Star Dragon_!" Mateo called as his dragon burst to the field in a flash of light. "When he's been normal summoned, I can target one monster on the field and increase its level by 1! So I'll use his effect to increase my _Dragonic Synchron_ 's level, making it a level three Tuner monster!"

"And what use is that to you?"

"On their own, not much, but when coupled with this final component, it will win me the match!" Mateo took a final card from his hand. "When I've normal summoned a monster from my hand this turn, I can special summon my _Turbo Booster_! And with this little guy on my field, the stage is set perfectly!"

"The stage is set to do what?"

"This! I'm tuning my level three _Dragonic Synchron_ to my level four _Bright Star Dragon_ and my level one _Turbo Booster_! The Earth burns in this terribly beautiful display of power and might! Illuminate the path of destiny!" _Dragonic Synchron_ roared softly as it faded away, leaving behind three glowing level stars. The other two monsters flew up and clustered together as the three stars created glowing green Synchro rings around the two monsters as they, too, faded away, leaving behind only their five combined level stars, which aligned themselves in a straight line before being pierced by a green light that expanded to the innermost edge of the Synchro rings. Mateo held his hand up as a glowing card exploded into existence between his fingers. "Synchro Summon! My display of strength, _Red Dragon Archfiend_!"

" _Red Dragon Archfiend_?!" Shiho was taken aback. _No! With that, he might come closer to defeating me! Wait… My_ Justiciar Dragon _cannot be destroyed in battle, with the exception of_ Red Dragon Archfiend _! And that monster has a special ability. At the End Phase, any monster he controls that didn't attack will be automatically destroyed! So if I use my facedown correctly, then I can eradicate his_ Shining Dragon – The Revelation _!_

"Get ready, Shiho, cause I'm making my move now! _Red Dragon Archfiend_! Attack _Justiciar Dragon_ with Absolute Powerforce!" Mateo extended his hand forward, as did _Red Dragon Archfiend_ , its hand exploding into a blaze of flames. It flew forward, before bringing its hand down on _Justiciar Dragon_ , engulfing it in flames. Mateo smirked as the flames grew brighter.

"I don't know what kind of foolish waste of time that was, Mateo, because my dragon cannot be destroyed by battle! It's true that your _Red Dragon Archfiend_ gained an additional eight hundred attack due to your _Dragonic Synchron_ ," Shiho continued, "which is more than enough to overpower my dragon's defense, but my dragon will remain standing!"

"I don't think so! See, I knew all about your dragon's imperviability to battle! But I thought of that in advance! Which is why I chose to attack with _Red Dragon Archfiend_!" Mateo countered. "He has a special ability! When he attacks a defense position monster, it is obliterated!"

"What?" In shock, Shiho watched as his dragon roared in pain, before shattering to pieces. He growled, but clicked a button. "Or at least, that's what I would have said if I hadn't thought of that! I had this trap set up just in case! Go, _Widespread Inquisition_! When a _Justiciar Dragon_ I control is destroyed, I can increase my Life Points by the attack of the last monster to attack, namely your _Red Dragon Archfiend_!"

Shiho: 1150 LP-4950 LP

"What?"

"That's right! And next, I can activate the second effect of _Widespread Inquisition_! At the cost of a thousand of my Life Points and by discarding an _Azurian_ monster, I can return my mighty dragon to the field!" Shiho pulled a card from his hand and immediately deposited it in the Graveyard as his dragon returned to the field in a flash of light. "And since there is another WATER attribute monster in my Graveyard, my dragon's Attack increases to 5100, more than enough to obliterate your Dragon and the rest of your Life Points!"

"We'll see about that! _Shining Dragon – The Revelation_! Attack _Justiciar Dragon_ with Shining Lightning Blast!"

"Not so fast, Mateo! My _Widespread Inquisition_ prevents all monsters you control from targeting _Justiciar Dragon_ again until my next Standby Phase! And with nothing left to do, you must end your turn, activating the special ability of your _Red Dragon Archfiend_!" Shiho stated, confidently. "Automatically destroying all monsters you control other than himself that did not attack! And since _Shining Dragon – The Revelation_ did not attack, he is destroyed through the _Red Dragon_ 's effect!"

"Dream on, Shiho! _Shining Dragon – The Revelation_ cannot be affected by card effects, even my own!" Mateo replied as the fire that initially erupted into existence around the _Shining Dragon_ 's feet dissipated with a mighty flap of his wings. "And next turn, I'll defeat you!"

"Fat chance of that! My _Justiciar Dragon_ has more than enough Attack Points to destroy your _Red Dragon Archfiend_ and the rest of _your_ Life Points!" Shiho drew a card from his deck. "My turn!"

Mateo: 1050 LP SPC 4-5  
Shiho: 3950 LP SPC 2-3

" _Justiciar Dragon_! Attack _Red Dragon Archfiend_ with Liberty Flare!" _Justiciar Dragon_ roared in response before it opened its mouth and breathed blue fire. At the last moment, a large castle erupted out of the center of the Duel Arena. "What the…"

"You activated my trap! _Castle of Dragon Souls_! With this mighty structure, I can banish my _Level Burst Dragon_ in order to increase my _Red Dragon Archfiend_ 's Attack by an additional seven hundred, bringing his attack to 4500!" An orb of light floated out of Mateo's Graveyard and into the Castle, illuminating one of the rooms within the castle. The castle started to glow as energy floated towards the _Red Dragon Archfiend_. "Go! Dragon Residency!"

"A good move, but it won't save your Dragon!"

"Perhaps not, but it will spare my Life Points!"

Mateo: 1050 LP-450 LP

"And since your _Justiciar Dragon_ is in Attack mode, on my turn I can attack with my _Shining Dragon – The Revelation_ and win this duel!"

"Don't get over-cocky yet, Mateo." Yusei said quietly. The Signers were glued to this duel. The winner of this match will determine the fate of not only the city, but the entire world.

 _Please win, Mateo! You have to_! A silent prayer from all six Signers of the Crimson Dragon.

"Are you ready, Shiho? Cause this is the turn where I finish this!"

"Wrong! I've got this duel won, and you won't be able to stop me!"

"We'll see!"

"We will, won't we? Cause I'm ending my turn by summoning the _Azurian Paralegal_ in Attack Mode!"

"Huh?" Mateo looked at the monster in shock. _That monster only has 900 Attack Points! What could Shiho be planning? He doesn't have any set cards, so I'll have to hope attacking it will eradicate it before he can complete a combo, regardless of if it will prevent me from attacking and winning the game._

"My turn!"

Mateo: 450 LP SPC 5-6  
Shiho: 3950 LP SPC 3-4

" _Shining Dragon – The Revelation_ , attack _Azurian Paralegal_! Shining Lighting Blast!" Mateo commanded as his dragon opened its mouth, ready to pulverize the tiny monster.

"That's exactly the move I was hoping you would make! When my _Azurian Paralegal_ is targeted for an attack, I can destroy it before damage calculation! That in turn powers up my _Justiciar Dragon_ by another five hundred points!" Shiho's monster shattered, the shards flying into and merging with the _Justiciar Dragon_. "At fifty-six hundred attack points, you won't be winning the duel this turn!"

 _Damn! If I had made my move as originally planned, I would have won! He's taken advantage of my cautiousness. If I want to win, I've got to hit him hard and fast before he can defeat me! My_ Shining Dragon – The Revelation _experiences a replay and can make a second attack declaration, and with his attack at ninety-five hundred, I can knock Shiho down to 50 Life Points!_ Mateo pondered. _So that's what I'm gonna do!_

"Replay! Since my Attack Target left the field before my attack could go through, I can make a second attack! _Shining Dragon – The Revelation_! Shining Lightning Blast on the _Justiciar Dragon_!" Mateo's dragon roared once again, before blasting his attack at Shiho's dragon once again. "And with his attack strength at the level it's at, your Life Points will be decimated!"

"Uuurgh!"

Shiho: 3950 LP-50 LP

"Your dragon is powerful, Shiho. But it cannot stand up to the might of my _Shining Dragon – The Revelation_!" Mateo set one card from his hand. "Just in case you somehow gain the upper hand, I'll set this card facedown, and end my turn!"

"Ha! Ha ha ha ha ha!" Shiho's laugh echoes through the stadium.

"What's so funny?"

"Once again, you did exactly what I wanted you to do!" Shiho grinned widely, striking fear into Mateo.

"W-what?"

"Activating my final facedown card! _Justiciar's Retribution_! When my _Justiciar Dragon_ is attacked by a Synchro monster, I can use this card in the End Phase of that turn to increase my dragon's attack by the original attack of the monster that attacked until the End Phase of my turn!" Light flooded the field before collectively blasting into _Justiciar Dragon_ like a wave of attacks from _Shining Dragon – The Revelation_. "Increasing my attack by more than enough to destroy you once and for all!"

 _Justiciar Dragon_ : 5600 LP + 4500 LP = 10100 LP

"No! His dragon… It's more powerful than mine, now!" Mateo gasped. _I'll just have to hope that my facedown card works in my favor! If not… If not, then I'm dead!_

"My turn!"

Mateo: 450 LP SPC 6-7  
Shiho: 50 LP SPC 4-5

"I summon _Azurian Attorney_ in Defense Mode! When he is in Defense mode, all monsters I control gain an additional 300 Attack and Defense Points until the end of your next turn! Increasing my dragon even more, to ten thousand, four hundred! My Dragon! Obliterate Mateo! Shatter his final defense! And end this Duel!"

"Mateo!"

"He's got to have a card to get out of this!"

"If he wants to save his own life, he'll have to!"

 _Looks like this will have to come down to a matter of luck!_ Mateo thought to himself. "I activate my facedown!"

"Liberty Flame! Attaaaack!" _Justiciar Dragon_ 's blue flames erupted from its mouth once again, surrounding _Shining Dragon – The Revelation_ in glowing blue flames. After a moment, they launched off it towards both players. "What the… What's happening?!"

"I activated my _Random Reoccurrence_ trap card! This selects one random spell or trap card from either player's Graveyard, and if it can be used, it will be activated!" Mateo replied. "It seems as though it claimed your _Speed Spell – Return Fire!_ spell card. As I am not taking three thousand damage or more, I must pay all of my Speed Counters, but it prevents my monster from being destroyed by battle and hits both of us for half of the damage! With my last breath, I'll save you, Shiho!"

Mateo: 450 LP SPC 6-0

Shiho and Mateo looked up as the flames completely vacated from _Shining Dragon – The Revelation_ before enveloping both Mateo and Shiho in fire, reducing both of their Life Points to zero.

Mateo: 450 LP-0 LP  
Shiho: 50 LP-0 LP

"Agh!"

"Urgh!"

Both Duel Runners came to a halt, with Mateo clutching his chest, gasping. Shiho looked up as _Shining Dragon – The Revelation_ roared at him, a wave of energy being cast over him, filling his body. The dark miasma returned briefly, attempting to take control of Shiho once again, but was quickly dispersed. The dragon flew up into the sky and faded away, the events of the duel having ended. Shiho gasped for a moment, before he heard something metal fall over. He turned, and saw that Mateo's Duel Runner had tipped, and he was lying on the ground. The Signers of the Crimson Dragon came running and reached him just as Shiho did while the Crimson Dragon appeared in a burst of light in the center of the stadium, exploding from the slowly fading _Castle of Dragon Souls_.

"Mateo." Shiho whispered as Mateo gasped.

"Looks… Looks like it worked, buddy."

"You're going to be fine, man." Shiho replied. "Just catch your breath."

"Too late. My Reaper is here." Mateo pointed up at the Crimson Dragon, floating silently in the center of the Duel Arena.

"Mateo!" Luna kneeled down on the pavement, tears streaming from her eyes. Shiho looked up, and saw that tears were in the eyes of the other Signers as well.

"That's it."

"Shiho?" Luna asked as Shiho stood up and faced the Crimson Dragon.

"You think you can get away with this? Taking his life just because he failed?" Shiho screamed up at the mighty dragon. The Signers were surprised, and even the all-powerful Crimson Dragon brought its head back in surprise. "This is my friend! He risked everything to save me, and I was so god damn selfish! Who cares if he didn't win? He doesn't deserve to die!"

Shiho clenched his fist as tears slid down his face from his eyes. "Spare him! Or so help me, God, I'll do whatever it takes to see that you are brought to justice! Even you, the mighty Crimson Dragon can't be so heartless as to steal away your own Signer of Unification! Let him live! Let! Him! Live!"

"Oh, relax. The Crimson Dragon wouldn't dare kill anyone, much less Mateo Yurigaya." Shiho and the other Signers jumped as a hooded man with a staff approached them. "All Mateo needs it rest, which the Crimson Dragon has come to ensure."

"Who the hell are you?"

"Mateo is the warrior of Light. A dark shadow is coming, one that overpowers even the Crimson Dragon. Without Mateo, this world will be lost."

"Answer my question!" Shiho demanded.

"Very well. If the Crimson Dragon wishes that the time has come." The man looked up to the dragon, which roared, before transforming into a typhoon of crimson light and flew into Mateo's Mark of the Dragon as he finally drifted into unconsciousness. "Very well. I am the last member of an Order the first five Signers of the Crimson Dragon know all too well. The Order of Yliaster. And now that I have the blessing of the Crimson Dragon, it is time for you all to learn the history of the Azure Dragon. Brother… of the Crimson Dragon."

 _Continued in Wrath of the Azure Dragon_ …


End file.
